Last Updated: 31 January, 2004 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush sidesteps call for outside investigation into Iraq's WMD
US President George W. Bush says he wants to know all the facts on White House assertions that Iraq's illicit weapons justified the US-led war. However, he sidestepped calls for an independent inquiry."I want the American people to know that I, too, want to know the facts," he said. President Bush insists that regardless of the intellligence issues, his government knew Saddam Hussein was a growing danger and had to be toppled. Former top US weapons inspector David Kay says the experts made a mistake in thinking that WMDs still existed, but denies they were pressured to reach that view. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC's Andrew Gilligan resigns over Hutton report
The BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan has resigned in the wake of criticism directed at him in the Hutton report. He quit after his story that claimed the British government exaggerated the risk from Iraq's weapons of mass destruction was described as unfounded. Gilligan's is the third BBC head to roll post Hutton. On Thursday director general Greg Dyke reluctantly resigned after the judge described the corporation's editorial policies as 'defective'. A day earlier the chairman Gavyn Davies also stepped down. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- US delegation to visit Iran
In a potential step towards renewing official contacts between Washington and Tehran, severed after the 1979 Iranian revolution, a group of US congressional aides will visit Iran next month. Two Republican senators started the ball rolling with a dinner with Iran's ambassador to the UN. The move comes as Iran - and reformist President Mohammad Khatami - faceparliamentary elections next month. The country's hardline Guardian Council has lifted bans on only a third of the candidates it barred from the poll. The 12-man conservative watchdog had banned almost half of the 8,200 hopefuls, most of whom are Khatami's allies and 80 of them already deputies. It then reinstated several hundred following a call for a review by the SupremeLeader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Berlusconi could face corruption trial within months
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's corruption trial will resume withinmonths after the country's Constitutional Court annulled a controversial law that gave him legal immunity. That is according to a judicial source, who has indicated the trial will begin on the 16th of April. Berlusconi's government approved legislation last June giving the nation's top five officials protection from prosecution. However that was overturned by Italy's top court earlier this month, which said it was unconstitutional. The trial centres on accusations that Berlusconi paid off judges to influence the privatisation of food company SME in the 1980s. European elections loom in June and Berlusconi is already grappling with in-fighting within his ever fractious coalition. Now he faces the prospect of his court battles returning to the headlines just before the official election campaign begins. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- guilty verdict against former French PM
A court in France has delivered a guilty verdict against a former Prime Minister who was seen as a likely presidential candidate. Alain Juppe, who is a political ally of President Jacques Chirac, has been given an 18-month suspended jail-term in a corruption case. He and 26 others were accused of involvement in a scam in which seven people who worked for his former RPR party were paid by public funds. The verdict means Juppe will not be able to stand in elections in France for the next ten years. His lawyer says they will appeal the verdict, claiming the court wanted to remove Juppe from public life. Juppe leads President Chirac's UMP party, which evolved from the RPR, and is also the mayor of Bordeaux. At a court in Nanterre, many of the other defendants have also received suspended jail terms. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 30 January, 2004 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- German cannibal sentenced
A self-confessed German cannibal has been sentenced to eight and a half years in jail for manslaughter. The verdict falls short of the murder conviction sought by the prosecution. They had argued Armin Meiwes killed a Berlin computer engineer for sexual pleasure. The court also rejected the defence teams' argument that he should be convicted of killing on request, a form of illegal euthanasia. That would have carried a shorter sentence of six months to five years. Meiwes advertised on the internet saying he wanted to find a man "for slaughter". He videoed part of the act and the tape was shown during the trial. The court took into account clear evidence the victim had been a willing participant in his own killing. Meiwes stored the remains of Bernd-Juergen Brandes in his freezer and ate 20 kilos of him over the following months. Police tracked Meiwes down to his home, and arrested him in December 2002 after they were alerted to another message he had posted on the internet. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Israel enters Bethlehem after Jerusalem suicide bombing
Israeli troops have begun withdrawing from Bethlehem following an incursion carried out in response to yesterday's suicide bombing in Jerusalem which killed 11 people. The bomber, a Palestinian policeman, was from the West Bank city. It was the first time in six months Israeli forces had pushed into Bethlehem. Around 12 Palestinians were detained in the raid. Yesterday's suicide attack was claimed by both Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. Elsewhere in the West Bank and Gaza three suspected militants were killed by Israeli soldiers. As the funerals were taking place for the victims of the bus bombing, efforts were continuing to revive the latest stalled Middle East peace effort. US envoy John Wolf is in the region for talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Funerals and celebrations after Israel-Hizbollah prisoner swap
Israel has been holding the funerals of three soldiers killed on the Israel-Lebanon border in 2000. Their bodies were returned to Israel as part of a prisoner exchange deal brokered by Germany between Israel and the Hizbollah guerrilla group. An Israeli businessman who was kidnapped in Lebanon was also released. In return Israel freed around 400 Palestinian prisoners. It also handed over the bodies of 60 Hizbollah fighters. Large crowds gathered to pay their respects as the coffins were paraded through the streets of south Lebanon. It is believed most the militants were killed during Israel's 22 year occupation of southern Lebanon which ended in 2000. The exchanges of bodies and captives took place in Cologne in Germany under the scrutiny of the Red Cross. In Beirut last night there was also a heroes welcome for around thirty members of the militant group who had been captured by Israel. Hopes for future prisoner swaps have been clouded by rhetoric from both sides. Hizbollah's chief cleric warned that further kidnappings could take place if the longest-serving Lebanese prisoner in Israel is not released. The Palestinian Hamas group has said it could resort to taking Israelis hostage. But Prime Minister Ariel Sharon indicated Israel would use extreme measures to avoid being held to ransom. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Turmoil as heads roll at BBC
British Prime Minister Tony Blair reacted today to the resignations of the Chairman and Director General of the BBC. They stepped down after a top judge investigating the suicide of a government scientist criticised the Corporation for reporting that the Blair administration had deliberately misled the British people over Iraq's weapon's programme. "It was a false accusation as Hutton found...and it's now been withdrawn," said Tony Blair. "And I want to make it clear that I fully respect the independence of the BBC and I've got no doubt that the BBC will continue as it should do to probe and question in a very proper way, and I think that this will now allow us to draw a line and move on and for the BBC to get with their jobs and the government to get on with theirs." Opinion in the British press is divided over Hutton's inquiry. One newspaper ironically described the Prime Minister as "Saint Tony", and another left its front page virtually empty with the word "Whitewash" splashed across it. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC Director General resigns over Hutton report
To lose one's boss may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both Director General Greg Dyke and Chairman Gavyn Davies looks very much like a disaster for the British Broadcasting Corporation. Britain's publicly-funded broadcaster is facing the gravest crisis in its 82-year history, following the resignation of the pair. With hindsight the BBC took a huge gamble by backing reporter Andrew Gilligan's story that the government embellished intelligence about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction in a 2002 dossier. In May 2003, two months after the Iraq invasion, the defence correspondent told BBC Radio 4 listeners: "Downing Street, our source says, ordered it to be sexed up to be made more exciting." Lord Hutton says in his report: "In the context of the broadcast in which the sexing up allegation was reported, and having regard to the other allegations reported in those broadcasts, I consider that the allegation was unfounded." Hutton criticised "defective" BBC editorial controls, and the broadcaster has now apologised "unreservedly" for key mistakes. While the Hutton report concluded that weapons expert David Kelly committed suicide after being named as Andrew Gilligan's source, Kelly was not the only one under pressure last summer. A war of words emerged between the BBC and Tony Blair's communications chief Alastair Campbell. In June 2003 Campbell, speaking on Channel 4 News, insisted: "This isn't a row between me and the BBC. Let alone the evil spin doctors in the dark who do their dirty works in the minds of a lot of journalists, let them just accept for once that they have got it wrong." Campbell, who later resigned, is saying the BBC leadership made things worse by stubbornly sticking by their story. Now that heads have rolled at the BBC, it is possible that the traditional public affection for Aunty Beeb may limit the damage. Many BBC journalists are furious that as they see it the real story- the justification for the Iraq war- has been sidelined. Moreover, in a poll in a London newspaper, 70 percent called for a full independent inquiry into the reason Britain went to war. Nonetheless the government says the Hutton report will be taken into account in the 2006 review of the BBC's charter. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thailand calls on outside help as it tries to curb bird flu
Thailand has called on the United States and Australia to help it test for bird flu in humans. The army has been helping carry out a mass cull of poultry in an effort to contain the outbreak. There have been three confirmed human cases of the virus in Thailand. Two people have died. But tests on 12 others suspected of having the illness have been inconclusive. The government is now seeking outside help to determine if they are infected. World health officials want to find out exactly how many human cases of bird flu there are, so they can assess the gravity of the situation. The sickness is known to have killed at least eight people in Asia. Thailand appears the worst hit of ten countries to be affected by the virus. Some 11 million chickens have been slaughtered there. So far the virus is thought to have jumped from poultry to people, and not from person to person. But health experts fear bird flu could combine with an ordinary flu in humans to produce a new strain and set off a killer pandemic. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Millions of Muslims converge for Haj pilgrimage
More than two million Muslims from around the world have begun the annual Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The ritual revolves circling the Kaaba which is a cube-shaped structure in the Grand Mosque in Mecca. It is considered a sacred site in Islam and believed to be where God's presence is most felt on earth. Pilgrims all wear white robes to erase differences of class or culture and camp out in tented villages around Mecca. Some 5000 police have been deployed amid fears of a possible violence by Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. The group has been blamed for a series of attacks in the kingdom since the US-led invasion of Iraq in March. Police are also in charge of controlling the massive crowds Every year pilgrims are killed in the crush during some of the Haj rituals. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 29 January, 2004 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Israel: Suicide attack on Jerusalem bus
Mr Sharon was believed not to have been at the residence at the time of the bombing, political sources said. The blast comes as Israel prepares to exchange prisoners with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, including hundreds of Palestinian militants. It is not clear whether the blast will have any bearing on the prisoner swap. No group has yet said it carried out the suspected attack. The explosion happened just before 0900 (0700 GMT) in the Rehavia district, about 100 metres from the prime minister's official residence. Witnesses said the explosion tore apart the bus, shattering windows. The last suicide attack in Israel took place on 25 December near Tel Aviv. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Israel -Hizbollah prisoner exchange goes ahead
Israel and Hizbollah are carrying out a prisoner swap that should secure freedom for hundreds of Palestinians. Elhanan Tannenbaum, an Israeli businessman kidnapped three years ago, boarded a plane from Beirut to Cologne. Hizbollah also loaded the coffins of three Israeli soldiers who were ambushed on the Lebanese border in 2000. In return, a group of about 30 Arabs, most of them Lebanese militants, were being flown from Israel to Germany, the country which mediated the exchange. Once the bodies of the three soldiers are identified, the Jewish State will release about 400 Palestinians and take them to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Most of them were arrested during the current uprising and are said to include failed suicide bombers. Their families are preparing to welcome them home. Israel hopes the exchange will pave the way for negotiations on the release of airman Ron Arad who has been missing since 1986 and could still be alive. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BBC takes the flak in Hutton report, Blair cleared
The chairman of the BBC has become the first casualty of the Hutton report on the Kelly affair - but Tony Blair, a veteran political survivor, has been cleared. As for the allegation that he lied to parliament, the prime minister said: "I simply ask that those that have made it over all these months now withdraw it fully, openly and clearly." The BBC was less fortunate. Lord Hutton criticised it for what he called defective editorial practices, which had approved a flawed report on the government's use of intelligence on Iraqi weapons. It is one of the most serious charges the corporation has faced in decades, and the fallout could be considerable. Gavyn Davies, the corporation's chairman, stepped down within hours of Hutton's findings. Hutton said he was satisfied Dr David Kelly had committed suicide after being outed as the source of the BBC's controversial weapons dossier story. The government scientist was found with his wrist slashed near his home in July. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 28 January, 2004 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blair cleared by Hutton - tabloid leak
After narrowly surviving a crucial parliamentary vote on education reform, Tony Blair appears to have emerged unscathed from the second big threat to his premiership this week. The tabloid newspaper, The Sun, claims the British prime minister has been cleared of blame by a judge investigating the apparent suicide of weapons expert David Kelly. The paper says the details were leaked but it has not divulged its source. On Tuesday, some of the key players in the controversy received advanced details of the inquiry's conclusions. The information contained in these copies is supposed to be under strict embargo until the report's official release later today. Caught up in a row between the government and Britain's state broadcaster the BBC, David Kelly was grilled by members of parliament. He had been exposed as the source of a BBC report in which it was claimed 10 Downing Street had exaggerated the threat posed by Iraq. His body was later found near his home. In his other big test this week, Tony Blair avoided his first major parliamentary defeat on Tuesday by winning a crunch parliamentary vote on education reform by a tiny majority of 316 to 311. Several rebel deputies within the premier's own Labour party, including ex-minister Nick Brown, sensationally switched sides. "I'm saying that an agreement has been reached that is satisfactory to me, that meets the points of principles that were my sticking points with the bill," said Brown. The change of heart is said to have followed last-minute arm-twisting by Finance Minister Gordon Brown, a man believed to have prime ministerial ambitions of his own. Students are vowing to continue their fight against the bill which will allow universities to charge those taking courses more for their education. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Commission say France going into red next year
The European Commission has today announced estimates that France's public expenditure deficit is expected once again to exceed the limits set down by the Euro Stability Pact. The Commission says that France has taken insufficient measures to prevent its finances from once again going into the red in 2005 and beyond the three percent of Gross Domestic Product laid down in the pact. "Our analysis of France is exactly the same as that for other countries." said European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Pedro Solbes. He described what he called the real 'risk' of France going into excessive deficit. The European Commission is currently taking the EU's Finance Ministers to the European Court of Justice for going beyond their remit by suspending the rules of the Stability Pact to help out France and Germany. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Israel: 13 Palestinians killed in Gaza raid
Up to 13 Palestinians are reported to have been killed in a raid by Israeli forces in Gaza. Some of those killed were said to have been militants - the rest civilians. In what has been described as the worst violence in the Palestinian territories in more than a month clashes erupted when Israeli tanks pushed into an area of Gaza city. The Israeli army said the action was in response to mortar attacks on the nearby Jewish settlement of Netzarim. The militant group Islamic Jihad said five of its guerrillas had been killed in the gun battle. It threatened to carry out revenge against Israel. The raid comes amid a new push for negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians by US and Egyptian envoys .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- British soldier killed in Afghanistan
A British soldier has been killed and three others wounded in the Afghanistan capital Kabul after what is thought to have been suicide bomb attack on their patrol. The bomber is believed to have driven up to their vehicle in a taxi laden with explosives. A member of the ousted Taliban militia claimed responsibility for the attack on the peacekeepers in the NATO-led force. The incident comes a day after a Canadian soldier and an Afghan civilian were killed in a suicide attack in the city. The Taliban also said it was behind Tuesday's suicide attack when a bomber threw himself in front of a vehicle being driven by Canadian peacekeepers. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Third deadly attack in Iraq in under 24 hours
At least three people have been killed in a guerrilla attack in the heart of Baghdad. A suspected car bomb exploded outside a hotel popular with foreigners. It is not yet clear how many people were injured. The blast blew out the whole front of the hotel and left several burnt out cars scattered around. A police station opposite the hotel was also destroyed. Tuesday was one of the bloodiest days for the US army in Iraq in months - six soldiers lost their lives in separate guerrilla strikes. Meanwhile after talks in Paris with French president Jacques Chirac, UN boss Kofi Annan said he would send a team to Iraq to study whether early elections are feasible. Iraq's most powerful Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, is demanding elections before the planned handover of power on June 30.The US believes that is unrealistic, and several UN officials agree that a premature poll would exacerbate tensions in Iraq. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Hampshire boost for Kerry
After his victory in New Hampshire, US senator John Kerry moves into the next phase of the contest to win the Democrat presidential nomination in confident mood. He and the other contenders face primary elections in seven states as the race for the White House goes national. Kerry's victories in Iowa and New Hampshire represent a huge turnaround in the fortunes of a candidate who had been trailing badly in the polls. Howard Dean, the former frontrunner, claimed second place in New Hampshire, an, improvement on his third place showing in Iowa. The campaigning for next Tuesday's vote will be done through news networks and TV ads, in contrast to the intimate, face-to-face meetings with voters which characterised the earlier ballots. As yet none of the candidates have dropped out of the race, although next week could be make or break for outsiders like General Wesley Clarke and Senators John Edwards and Joe Lieberman. The presidential vote takes place in November -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Learn the lessons from Sars was the message of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaking at a Bird Flu conference in Bangkok. Bird flu has so far killed eight people in Vietnam and Thailand and poses a serious threat to the region's economies and public health. "The lesson of Sars must not be forgotten. As we learnt from Sars, local outbreaks can spiral into a global crisis if not dealt with properly." The Prime Minister went on to outline the economic risk that the epidemic poses. Already China has begun the slaughter of poultry near three far-flung farms after an outbreak was discovered near its border with Vietnam. The arrival of the bird-flu virus in densely populated China has worried experts who fear the south of the country could be the source of the next big flu epidemic. The World Health Organisation is meeting Chinese officials to draw up an action plan to contain the spread of bird flu. Meanwhile many are staying off the chicken until the epidemic passes, that consumer response and the destruction of millions of fowl means that the regions food industry could be seriously damaged by the virus.
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Last Updated: 27 January, 2004 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Hampshire votes in Democrat primary
Can John Kerry keep up the momentum? In the snow-blanketed state of New Hampshire, he is hoping to consolidate his campaign to challenge for the White House. Today's crucial primary could reveal whether last-week's win in Iowa was more than just a one-off. The decorated Vietnam war veteran and Massachusetts senator is on top in the latest opinion polls but the battle to become the Democratic candidate still has a long way to go. Creeping up on him in some voter surveys is one-time front-runner Howard Dean. A staunch opponent of the war in Iraq, he has criticized Kerry for his vote in Congress to authorize last year's military invasion to remove Saddam Hussein from power. For some hopefuls, the New Hampshire primary kicks off their bid to head the party's thrust for power in November's US presidential election. Retired general and former NATO commander Wesley Clark sat out the Iowa caucuses. This time round, he has been highly visible, staging a marathon tour in which he has met voters. Known for their independence, the unpredictability of the electorate in New Hampshire is legendary. And that reputation will have to be maintained for another challenger, Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, to stand any chance of winning. The former vice-presidential candidate is struggling to turnaround a persistently weak show of support. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crunch day for Blair in difficult week
Today marks the first key test for Tony Blair in the most perilous week of his premiership. The British prime minister risks parliamentary defeat over controversial education reforms. He has held last-minute meetings with rebel deputies within his own Labour Party. Education Minister Charles Clarke has announced concessions on the bill. Finance Minister Gordon Brown has made an eleventh-hour plea to opponents. But even his impassioned call, made on the eve of today's make-or-break vote, may not be enough to keep a revolt at bay. "I want us to be the best-educated, best-trained workforce and tomorrow's much-needed reform of university finance, which I urge all MPs and all Labour MPs to support, is another vital step towards that goal," said Brown. He may, in fact, have most to gain from a rebellion over the plans for education. Long-tipped as the next British leader, he is seen as waiting in the wings should his boss be forced to quit. The thorny reform in question would allow universities to charge students more for their education through so-called "top up" fees. Defeat in parliament tonight could trigger a confidence vote. It comes ahead of Wednesday's potentially-explosive Hutton report into the death of British weapons expert Dr David Kelly. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- France in charm offensive on China
Not every visiting president gets to address the French parliament, but that will not stop some deputies boycotting the Chinese leader's speech today. They see Beijing as a major human rights abuser and are disgusted Hu Jintao is getting the red carpet treatment. French President Jacques Chirac did raise the issue at a state banquet in Hu's honour, but not in quite the way China's critics might have hoped. "Respecting human rights is crucial for the development of modern societies and economies. I know this is one of your priorities," Chirac said. But he supported Hu to the hilt in condemning Taiwan's referendum planned for March on strengthening its armed forces. Beijing fears that will bring the breakaway island a step closer to independence. Paris has also been lobbying the EU to lift its arms embargo on China imposed after the Tiananmen square massacre in 1989.That would crown 40 years of Franco-Chinese diplomatic relations - celebrated with great fanfare in Paris - with some big business contracts. France is keen to gain a firm foothold in the world's fastest growing economy -That much was clear from the list of company bosses invited to the state dinner. And critics of France's policy say money is what the charm offensive is really all about. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cheney defends Iraq war in Rome speech
"A close friend and a source of wise counsel." That is how Silvio Berlusconi has been described by US vice president Dick Cheney, on a visit to Rome. Italy's prime minister firmly backed Washington over the war in Iraq. And, speaking to the Italian Senate, the VIP guest defended the US-led campaign. "Today the former dictator sits in captivity. He can no longer harbour or support terrorists and his long efforts to acquire weapons of mass destruction are at an end," said Cheney. The reference to Saddam's efforts to acquire such arms was worthy of note. Dick Cheney's address made no mention of earlier US charges that Iraq actually possessed chemical and biological weapons. Rome has sent troops to help stabilise Iraq and 19 Italians were killed there in an attack in November. As well as thanking Silvio Berlusconi for his support, Dick Cheney spoke of the need for unity within the broader trans-Atlantic alliance. His programme today includes a meeting with the Pope. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Egypt building collapse kills four
Four people have died in a building collapse near Cairo. More than 40 others were injured when the twelve-storey structure crumbled in the suburbs of the Egyptian capital. Most of them were firemen battling a blaze that had broken out in a plastics storeroom in one of the lower floors of the building. Rescuers have been struggling to free several people buried in the wreckage - one success was met with cheers. The majority of those inside the building were evacuated in time. The collapse happened in the heart of the commercial district of Nasr city, about 15 minutes drive from central Cairo. The Egyptian Housing Minister, Mohammed Ibrahim Souleiman, said he would launch an inquiry into the cause of the incident. He said seven storeys of the 20-year-old building had been constructed illegally. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 26 January, 2004 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drug war in europe - Sanofi launches takeover of rival Aventis
One of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies could be in the making, as France's regulator announced Sanofi-Synthélabo has launched a bid for largerdomestic rival Aventis. The AMF regulator said in a statement Sanofi was offering five of its shares for six Aventis shares plus 69 euros in cash. That puts the value of Aventis at around 48 billion euros. It said 81 percent of the offer was in shares and 19 percent cash. The move is set to create a French national pharmaceutical firm able to compete with the world's biggest healthcare companies. But with many production sites and over thirty thousand workers in France, analysts say social costs from a takeover could be high. It follows weeks of merger speculation, which has driven shares in both companies higher. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq : hot week for Blair in prospect
In one phrase on Sunday on American radio David Kay, the man who led the US search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, appears to have got his President off the hook ; "I actually think the intelligence community owes the President rather than the President owing the American people", he said in response to a question on whether or not he thought George Bush had misled America on the Iraqi threat. However saying US intelligence may have led George Bush up the garden path over Iraq does nothing to help Tony Blair. The British prime minister faces a vital week for his political future as the Hutton report is published. Tony Blair has already said he will resign if the report concludes he lied to the British public in his claims about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities, and he lied about the events that led to the death of British weapons expert David Kelly. Add to the Hutton report a possible rebellion in parliament from within his party on university fees and even if he emerges unscathed from the Hutton report, it is going to be quite a week. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hunt for US helicopter crash victims in Iraq
The US military is hunting for the two-man crew of an armed reconnaissance helicopter in Iraq. It crashed into the Tigris river during a search and rescue mission for a US soldier. He had gone missing during a riverboat patrol on the Tigris river in the northern city of Mosul. It is the thought the helicopter came down after it hit a power cable. Further south, near Baiji, a US soldier died from his wounds after a grenade attack against his vehicle. Since the invasion at least 513 US soldiers have died in Iraq. Against this backdrop of spiralling violence Shiite leaders are pushing Washington to hold elections before a scheduled transfer of power. The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has said that he will soon decide whether to send a mission to Iraq to study the feasibility of an early poll. During a visit to Sweden, Annan said the US Administrator of Iraq and the Iraqi Governing Council President had requested earlier in the week for the team to be sent. "We have used the time since then to conduct our analysis, look at the documents and do some reflections and I expect to make a decision between now and Tuesday about our action," he said. The UN pulled international staff out of Iraq after two suicide attacks on its Baghdad headquarters .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Georgian President sworn in
A gala performance of dancing and singing rounded off a historic day for Georgia. It followed the swearing in of Mikhail Saakashvili as the new President of the ex-Soviet Republic. The inauguration ceremony was held in the same square in the capital Tbilisi where street demonstrations climaxed last year. Backed by thousands of supporters Saakashvili had stormed the parliament building. It was an act that led to the downfall of President Eduard Shevardnadze in what has become known as the Rose Revolution. Among the dignitaries at the ceremony were US secretary of State Colin Powell and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov. The new Georgian leader vowed his country would not become a battlefield between superpowers. After the peaceful revolt the 36-year-old US-educated lawyer won a landslide victory making him one of the world's youngest elected leaders. High on his agenda will be the reunification of the country. Georgia has been ravaged by separatist wars in Abkhazia, Adzhara and South Ossetia. It is a country struggling against poverty and corruption and where many are laying great hope for a better future in their new leader. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bird flu kills child in Thailand
A massive cull of millions of chickens in Thailand has not stopped the deadly bird flu virus from claiming its first human victim there. she death of a six year old boy comes just three days after the nation confirmed the outbreak of the disease. The crisis zone has been expanded from two provinces to ten. Thailand's Prime Minister has been accused of trying to cover up the outbreak. But he says though the government had its suspicions, it only knew for certain after test results came back on Friday. The only other human cases of bird flu have been confirmed in Vietnam where six people have died. Experts believe they contracted the sickness from chickens, but are nonetheless worried the avian flu may combine with a human virus. Such a strain could sweep through a human population and prove devastating. Five other Asian countries have admitted to the disease, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Cambodia. Unconfirmed reports indicate Laos could also affected. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA pin high on Mars
NASA scientists are talking about shooting a hole in one with the successful landing of the Opportunity probe on Mars. Opportunity is already sending back great pictures and valuable data, and showing every sign of working perfectly. The hole in one is that it has landed in what seems to be an ideal spot for geological studies in the bottom of a crater. One of Opportunity's jobs is to hunt for water, traces of which could be found in haematite, but the mineral is only found beneath the surface, which is why landing in a crater is so useful. Access is easier, and Opportunity is also right next to a surface rock, in fact say the team there is enough in the crater for the whole mission to take place there. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 25 January, 2004 .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- US wavers on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
The question has now been posed by no less than the US Secretary of State. Talking to reporters whilst flying to Georgia Colin Powell said it was an open question whether weapons of mass destruction will ever be found in Iraq. The comments came just a day after America's top US arms hunter in Iraq resigned. David Kay said he doubted whether the weapons of mass
destruction the coalition forces were hunting for existed. And in
Britain pressure is mounting against Tony Blair's government. "This has really got to be the end of any pretense that we are one day going to find these weapons of mass destruction. Everybody's whose looked for them can't find them and now says they don't exist. It really is time that Number Ten accepted that. It's getting embarrassing to see the Prime minister insist he was right when everybody else says he was wrong."And Menzies Campbell an opposition party deputy leader called for a public enquiry:"There may well be a strong case for a further inquiry to determine whether or not we took military cation against Saddam Hussein on a flawed prospectus - either because of inadequate intelligence or because of the mishandling of intelligence once it had been obtained." On Wednesday Blair faces the publishing of the Hutton
inquiry into the suicide of David Kelly, a British weapons expert.
But despite the mounting pressure both George Bush and Tony Blair
say that the critics should wait for the final results from the weapons
hunters in Iraq. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Germany's employment agency chief out of a job
After intense pressure the German government has said it will dismiss the head of its Federal Labour Office. Florian Gerster is being investigated for awarding mulit million euro contracts without putting them out to tender. The sacking comes at a bad time for Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder'sgovernment which is carrying out the biggest reforms to the welfare state since the Second World War. They will result in cuts in unemployment benefit and changes to allow companies to fire workers more easily. Gerster, who is not accused of taking any money for himself, has declined to comment. Wolfgang Clements, Germanys Finance Minister, said the reforms would still have to continue: "The reforms are not possible without confidence between the government and the head of the federal labour office." Several journalists said a media campaign against Gerster had been fed by damaging leaks from managers within his own office. Unemployment in Germany is above four million and among the highest in Europe. But it is falling, partly due analysts say, to Gerster weeding out benefit claimants not actively looking for work. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to historic prisoner swap
Germany has succeeded in negotiating a prisoner exchange between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerilla group. Two of Hezbollah's top leaders, Abdel Karim Obeid and Moustapha Dirani are to be released, as are three Israeli soldiers who were kidnapped and presumed dead. Israel will also release 400 Palestinian prisoners who will return to the WestBank and Gaza Strip. In return Israel will receive army colonel Elhanan Tennenbaum who was kidnapped with the three soldiers on the Lebanese border. And they'l also get Ron Arad, a pilot shot down over Lebanon in 1986. At the request of Hezbollah a German citizen Sven Smyrek will also be freed. Negotiations by Germany for the exchange deal went on for months before a breakthrough was reached. Germany's intelligence Coordinator Ernst Uhrlau said he was pleased with the outcome: "For the German government it is important to have played an important role in such a central humanitarian affair determining the fates of people. Except for the 400 Palestinians all the prisoner exchanges are to be carried out in Germany. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Anniversary bash for Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi has staged a razzmatazz rally to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his entry into politics. Political matters were not the only talking point as the Italian Prime Minister took to the stage in Rome. Rumours of plastic surgery have also captured the public imagination, with much being made of the media-mogul-turned-politician's remarkably line-free look now that he has returned to the public gaze, after a month away from the limelight. The anniversary bash marks a decade since the creation of his Forza Italia party and it offered Berlusconi a golden opportunity to speak out against his two pet hates - communists and magistrates. He accused communists of manipulating the judicial system to try to take power, saying this was part of their genetic make-up. Legal matters are, of course, a sensitive subject for the Forza Italia founder,not least because a recent court decision means he may himself face trial for corruption. But there was room for humour in his speech, too, with an oblique reference to "that" alleged operation. Berlusconi said with a laugh that a "facelift" by leftist parties looking to adopt a more moderate image had failed. He was given a rapturous reception by the party faithful in a rally that supporters hope will boost Forza Italia's profile, ahead of forthcoming regional and European elections. The celebration, however, comes at a difficult time. The ruling right-of-centre coalition that includes Forza Italia has fallen prey to in-fighting. And its promises to overhaul Italy's political and economic framework have yet to be realized. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Demonstrators make their mark on Davos
Kept away from the VIPs and amid a heavy police presence, protesters have taken to the streets of Switzerland to demonstrate against the World Economic Forum. There were rowdy scenes in the eastern town of Chur, around 50 kilometres from the ski resort of Davos, where business leaders and politicians have been holding talks. An authorized demonstration took place which police say was mainly peaceful although a bank window was smashed and some grafitti was daubed. The damage however was nothing compared to previous years. In 2000, anti-free trade activists went on the rampage through Davos and last year protesters ran riot in the Swiss capital Berne. Bus-loads of demonstrators briefly blocked the main highway between Zurich and Chur, but it all came after the departure of the man making headlines at today's session of talks. United States Vice President Dick Cheney used his speech in Davos to urge Europe to join the US in promoting democracy in Iran and the Arab world. This,he maintained, was the key to winning the global war against terrorism. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another charter flies into trouble
There are more worries for the charter airline industry with the news, revealed in a Paris newspaper, that a Lotus Air airbus has been grounded since Thursday despite the pilot's desire to take off for Cairo after the plane sustained damage in an incident on the ground. The paper claims a crash "was just avoided". However, this version has been contested by the Transport Ministry's bureau of investigation. It says the crew of the plane decided they would rather not continue their journey, after a fire in a generator used to power the plane while idle on the runway made a small hole in the fuselage. Travel company Marmara, which chartered the plane for 134 passengers, is refusing to comment on the incident. Lotus Air says the grounding was a "minor incident
of the sort that often affects many planes". .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 24 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ European probe finds water on Mars
There is water on Mars - that is the dramatic claim from scientists at the European Space Agency. Their orbiter, Express, has for the first time found proof of the existence of ice below the planet's south pole. Berlin university professer Gerhard Neukum presented the images to journalists:"Of course we looked for the traces of water, what water did and I think we can firmly say, yes, there was water working on the surface of Mars and quite a number of the features we have seen were carved by or originated by the action of water on the surface of Mars", he said. ESA scientists said the discovery was based on analysis of vapours of water molecules detected by the infrared camera aboard the Mars Express orbiter circling the Red Planet. The images relayed by the orbiter confirm something that scientists have long suspected. NASA's Mars Odyssey has turned up evidence that there is lots of ice mixed with the soil, just below the surface. If Mars once had surface water, it had the potential to support life - though experts caution that it was too early to draw conclusions. Today's announcement is a huge boost to the European agency which has lost contact with the Beagle probe which landed on Mars on Christmas Day. In more welcome news for the space researchers, Nasa is believed to have briefly re-established contact with its Spirit explorer, with which it lost contact several days ago. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Water discovery spurs quest for Martian life
The question of whether our nearest planetary neighbour could sustain life has captived scientists, and science fiction writers, for decades. Those involved in the exploration of Mars are keen to stress that the existence of water does not mean that there is or ever was life on Mars. But it gives new momentum to the search for it. The Mars Express project manager, Rudolph Schmidt, says all the evidence suggests any life forms would be extremely simple: "The conditions on Mars are very very difficult for life. It's very cold, it's now dry, maybe it was ever once wet, and a little bit warmer. But, due to these rough conditions, life must have been very very simple, very low level in terms of development, so maybe we talk about micro-organisms, we talk about small single-cell life forms." The ESA still has hope of finding water in liquid form, possibly even on the planet's surface. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Snowstorm hits eastern Mediterranean
A powerful snowstorm has sent shockwaves through Turkey, causing chaos on the roads and claiming lives. The commercial capital Istanbul has been declared a disaster zone. Abandoned vehicles have been blocking the main highway linking the city to Europe. While the cold snap has meant misery for motorists, getting from A to B on foot has been no fun either, with a steady step needed by pedestrians to be sure of staying upright. Rolling blackouts and cuts to water and gas supplies have also been making life difficult. And the extreme weather in Turkey has taken a tragic toll with several people killed - among them at least two children who had gone to school to collect their report cards. Major shipping routes in the region were closed. Turkey closed its Bosphorus and Dardanelles shipping channels while Egypt shut the Suez Canal. Elsewhere, a ship sank in gale-force winds off the coast of Crete. A search was mounted for 17 missing crew members of the Greek-owned vessel. Bulgaria has also been hit hard by snow, with traffic chaos and widespread power cuts making this a start to 2004 that many will be happy to forget. .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 23 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Deutsche Bank chief pleads innocence
The head of Germany's Deutsche Bank, Josef Ackermann, has claimed in court there was nothing illegal about hefty bonuses he approved for executives at the telecommunications company Mannesmann. He and five former directors of the company are accused of breach of trust andwasting 57 million euros of shareholders' money. The bonuses were paid out in 2000, just before a hostile takeover of the company by the British firm Vodafone. The men's lawyers argue the case is one of business ethics and should not be heard in a criminal court. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ France hit by health strike
A day after industrial action disrupted transport in much of France the country has been hit by a wave of strikes by health service employees. Thousands of doctors and hospital workers took to the streets in protest against understaffing and what they believe to be the creeping privatisation of public healthcare. They fear plans for cost-cutting reforms will pave the way for elements of what is one of the world's most highly-rated health services to be hived off to the private sector. The stoppages come ahead of a report from a government-appointed committee on how to stem the growing financial deficit of France's generous public health care system. In an important election year the strikes have piled more pressure on the centre-right government. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ UK cannabis laws cause confusion
The British Government is attempting to clear up confusion over the relaxation of cannabis laws. From next week the drug is being downgraded from Class B to Class C, meaning lighter penalties. But some have read that to mean it is now legal, prompting the government to launch a media campaign. Advertisements warn people that the law change does not mean the drug is less dangerous or that smoking it will not result in court action. Critics claim the new legislation sends out a muddled message. Opposition Conservative leader Michael Howard is promising to reverse the policy if his government wins the next election. The interior minister David Blunkett is defending the reclassification, saying it will enable police to focus on more dangerous drugs. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iranian political crisis deepens
Iran is being drawn deeper into political crisis over next months'general election. A group of 54 members of parliament have sworn to boycott the vote if it effectively becomes what it calls a "process of nomination". The row, which is causing problems for reformist president, Mohammed Khatami, arises from the disqualification of thousands of would-be candidates, many of whom support his policies. The protesting MPs also say they will stall parliament by refusing to carry out their duties. It is the Guardian Council, a hugely powerful but unelected body, that has been barring candidates. Reformists and liberals say the move is tantamount to a coup d'etat and have been protesting since the council announced its decision. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nasa loses contact with Mars rover
NASA scientists fear the lack of communication from the robot Rover Spirit, which landed on Mars on January 3 may be more serious than they first thought. Spirit project manager, Pete Theisinger, said: "At yesterday's press conference we reported that we had some communications problems with the rover which we believed, we thought at the time, was due to weather at the Canberra station or maybe some DSN configurations issues. We now know that we have a very serious anomoly on the vehicle." Mission managers have not given up all hope yet though. But the failure of Spirit to continue sending useful data to Earth from the Red Planet is yet another blow to efforts to discover whether there is, or ever has been, life on Mars. Spirit's twin rover, Opportunity, is due to land on Mars on Sunday. It may be able to shed light on the matter. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sharon rejects calls to quit
There are words of defiance from the Israeli Prime Minister as prosecutors say they are considering whether to charge him in connection with a corruption case. Ariel Sharon says he has no intention of resigning after a businessman friend was charged with trying to bribe him when he was foreign minister in the late 1990s. The court action comes after a probe into how Sharon's political campaigns have been funded. Property developer David Appel is accused of seeking help to push through deals by handing over hundreds of thousands of euros. It is alleged he employed Sharon's son, Gilad, to help in the purchase of a Greek island resort, a deal that never went through. The Prime Minister has denied any wrongdoing and is promising to cooperate with investigators. A poll today in a mass-circulation paper found that 63 percent of Israelis would want Sharon to step down if it were proven he has been involved in misconduct. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Birdflu spreads its wings - Thailand hit
The deadly Birdflu virus that is sweeping Asia has now hit Thailand as well. The government had already been culling poultry following what it described as a cholera outbreak. Now it has admitted a boy has tested positive for Birdflu. Even before the announcement, Japan said it was suspending poultry imports from Thailand following rumours the virus had spread there. Japan is already tackling a Birdflu outbreak of its own; as are Vietnam, South Korea and Taiwan. Hong Kong said the virus had been found in a dead wild bird. And Cambodia's testing dead chickens for the disease too. So far, five people have died in Vietnam. All caught the virus directly from birds, although there is no indication it can pass from human to human. But the World Health Authority fears the illness could combine with a human flu. If that happens, the WHO says it will prove far more deadly than the SARS epidemic. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 22 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iranian leader tells Davos his country is preparing for democratic elections
Several hundred anti-globalisation protestors disrupted several high profile meetings at the Davos World Economic Forum. They managed to block the road from Zurich airport to the ski resort. Police made some arrests but so far there have been no repeat scenes of theviolence that marked recent Davos gatherings. Nevertheless security around the conference centre remains extremely tight as presidents and business leaders from around the world drop in to discuss economic and political strategy. One of the highlights of the first day, a rare press conference by the Iranian president Mohammad Khatami. He denied he was about to resign along with the rest of his government in a showdown with religious conservatives over who can run in upcoming elections. He said: "What is happening in Iran is a natural process. This is part of the electoral process in any country. On the threshold of an election sensitive issues unfold. My colleagues and I have one goal: to make sure there is a free and competitive election." What to do in Iraq is taking up much of the forum's time. The British foreign secretary Jack Straw said he welcomed the UN getting involved in the country again. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Social Forum closes with call for US withdrawal from Iraq
International forces should withdraw from Iraq and let the Iraqi people govern themselves - that was the rallying call at the close of the World Social Forum in the Indian city of Bombay. An estimated 100,000 activists took part in the six-day gathering - an opportunity to exchange ideas and draw mutual inspiration. "It's amazing how much creativity is on show and how many local groups are participating," said German delegate Bernhard Hoeper. "I wish there were more such forums. Dialogue is needed to sustain the world's future." Debates at the forum ranged from how to end the caste system in India to establishing an alternative to market economics, but opposition to US policy in Iraq was also a dominant theme - and the organising assembly called for international demonstrations on March 20, the first anniversary of the outbreak of war. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ French jails minister resigns to clear his name in bribe scandal
Down but not out. Pierre Bedier, the French minister who has resigned over a corruption scandal, will still run for a seat in the regional elections in March. He remains top of his party's list for the Yvelines constituency near Paris.Bedier is alleged to have received bribes from the boss of a cleaning company in return for the awarding of contracts between 1995 and 2002. At the time he was a town mayor. In an interview he said the accusations were strange: " One witness says I got cash in hand; another claims five or 15,000 francs changed hands, but I never saw them; a third says I don't know where it was or what year, but I know it was winter because it was cold." Nonetheless, Bedier says he resigned to clear his name. He kept a low profile as minister in charge of building prisons, but his departure could still damage prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin whose popularity ratings have recently picked up. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mannesmann suspects flex muscles for trial
Deutsche Bank boss Josef Ackerman is in a bullish mood - he is determined to clear his name when one of Germany's most spectacular corporate trials resumes in Dusseldorf today. Ackerman is one of six top executives accused of approving huge bonuses to officials of telecoms giant Mannesmann when it was taken over by Vodafone in 2000.The prosecution argues the payments of millions of euros were against the interests of shareholders. Klaus Esser, Mannesmann's former chief executive, insists that he resisted the takeover, but prosecutors say he and his colleagues only accepted it once the payoffs had been agreed. The accused maintain their decisions surrounding the bonuses were above board and in line with corporate practice in other countries. They will make their first official statements at the court today. Vodafone bought Mannesmann for 180 billion euros, making it the biggest takeover in history. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Corruption allegations in Israel could force Sharon from power
Ariel Sharon could face prosecution over a corruption scandal that is threatening his political survival. Justice ministry officials have announced a decision will be taken within months over whether to charge the Israeli prime minister over allegations he accepted bribes from property developer David Appel. If a prosecution is brought, 75-year-old Sharon is expected to resign. Businessman David Appel is accused of paying hundreds of thousands of euros to Sharon and former Jerusalem mayor Ehud Olmert in return for help pushing through property deals. Prosecutors claim the businessman hired Sharon's son, Gilad, as a consultant for the purchase of a Greek island resort and allegedly handed over large amounts of money to try to secure the deal, which did not go through. While the prime minister has denied any wrongdoing, prosecutors say they are still deciding whether action should be taken against him, his son and Olmert. .----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- US election: Democratic candidates claim Bush out of touch with reality
Just hours after President Bush's State of the Union speech - his Democratic rivals focused on him this time rather than on each other. The Democratic candidates are campaigning in the State of New Hampshire: John Kerry is the frontrunner. He told supporters that President Bush still did not realise that ordinary Americans are struggling to get by. Howard Dean said Bush's speech showed the President had few fresh ideas. Another candidate, John Edwards, said the US remained a nation divided between the wealthy elite and the rest struggling to make a decent living. The President has hit the road too, travelling to western states to get his own message across that he deserves a second term in office. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 21 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bush focuses on security in State of Union speech
US President George W.Bush has said the global war on terrorism remains his main priority for the year ahead. In his annual State of the Union speech he said America was safer but still faced deep threats from its enemies. Addressing both houses of Congress the president said the US will never be intimidated. Without mentioning countries by name, President Bush also pledged to continue taking on the nations he accuses of making weapons of mass destruction and ones which he says help groups to acquire them. His speech gave a clear indication that he intends to
make national security a key issue during his presidential election
campaign this year. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bush big speech to set agenda for election year
George Bush launches his re-election bid in earnest with the State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday night. The annual speech is not a campaign event but it does give the US President an uninterrupted platform for at least an hour to present past and future policy. Following hard on the heels of speeches on immigration reform and the space programme, the aim of White House advisers is to raise Bush's rhetoric to new heights while maintaining the President's plain speaking Texan delivery. Although the President's claims about Iraq's mass weapons of destruction have yet to be proven, the ongoing war and the high number of US casualties is unlikely to affect his popularity ratings According to the latest polls, Bush's tactics and plans to handover power have the the backing of most Americans. However the 30 percent who are against represent the strongest opposition he has faced since entering the White House. Nevertheless, Bush will stress his committment to America's security and economic prosperity in the face of continuing threats from al Qaeda.. He is expected to cite Libya's decision to abandon weapons of mass destruction as evidence that his foreign policy is working. For most Americans, it seems, the economy, unemployment and health care costs are the top priorities in this election year and these are exactly the areas where support for Bush falls down. Polls suggest his methods so far have given him just a two percent lead over whoever wins the Democrat nomination. Some might say that figure shows not much has changed since his election. But Bush will aim to counter this view by announcing plans to help unemployed workers gain new skills. He will also offer tax credits for the so-called under insured, an estimated 40 million Americans with little or no health insurance. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Democrats take their case to New Hampshire
After the drama of the Iowa caucus, Democrats hoping to topple George Bush have taken their case to New Hampshire, where a key primary takes place next week. Massachussetts Senator John Kerry is basking in the limelight of his stunning victory. He told supporters: "If you stand with me, we will fight to make America safe in the world again. If you stand with me, we will beat George Bush and set this country free." It has been a remarkable comeback for a man who was trailing in the opinion polls just a few weeks ago. Kerry is backed by powerful figures like Senator Ted Kennedy and hopes to emulate his great hero JFK - whose initials he shares - by making the jump from the Senate to the White House. Iowa's other big surprise was North Carolina Senator John Edwards, who came in second. He had been considered too inexperienced but saw his support surge in recent days. The major upset was the poor showing for Howard Dean. He entered the caucus well ahead of the pack but finished a distant third - not that you could tell by his ecstatic reaction. Democrat heavyweights Joe Lieberman and Wesley Clark did not participate - they are holding their fire for New Hampshire. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Israel trikes back at Hezbollah
Israel has launched two airstrikes on southern Lebanon, a day after a Hezbollah attack which killed an Israeli soldier. The guerrilla group says it fired on an Israeli bulldozer that entered Lebanese territory. Israel has now changed its version of events and admitted its vehicle did cross the frontier. Despite a United Nations presence, the border area remains a point of conflict. Israeli warplanes have also been swooping over the Bekaa Valley, near the disputed Shebaa Farms area. The events come as Syria - Hezbollah's backers say Israel - was seeking to resolve its row with Israel over the Golan Heights. But after last night's attack a spokesman for Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said: "There can't be terrorist activity from Lebanon and peace negotiations with Syria." Israel seized the Golan in 1967. Hours before Monday night's attack Sharon said the price of peace with Damascus would mean ceding the land which has huge strategic value. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Algerian refinery blast death toll rises
An explosion at Algeria's largest refinery has claimed more lives, pushing the death toll up to 27. It is feared that figure could rise further, with more than 70 injured and up to nine people reported missing. As emergency crews continued to search through the smouldering ruins of the vast petro-chemical complex at Skikda, Algeria's president, Abdeliziz Boutiflika, arrived to view the damage for himself. He visited some of the victims in hospital. It is believed a boiler at a liquefied natural gas plant may have been the origin of the blast which was felt over several kilometres. Oil and gas production at the facility has been completely closed down and it is not clear when operations will resume. However the government said Algeria would still honour its export commitments.
Hopes evaporate for sailors missing after Norway ship accident
Rescuers in Norway have called off the search for survivors from yesterday's cargo ship accident.It is presumed that 18 people are dead.The missing sailors are thought to have suffocated after being trapped in the hull or drowned in the icy waters of the north sea.There were no signs of life from within the ship today. The Rocknes was on its way to Germany when it came to grief in shallow waters near the port of Bergen.According to Norwegian reports, the vessel hit a rock before overturning.The crew was mainly Filippino, with Dutchmen, Norwegians and a German also on board. Overnight, rescuers cut a hole in the hull to pull out three people who had been heard knocking and shouting.Other survivors were lucky enough to be plucked from the water within minutes of the accident.The Rocknes's owners have called the tragedy "incomprehensible," saying the crew was very experienced and that the ship was only three years old. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SARS vaccine breakthrough
Amid fears in China of a new Sars epidemic there is hope that a vaccine against the killer disease could be on the way. A further three cases of the pneumonia-like illness have been confirmed in China's southern Guandong province where the virus first emerged at the end of 2002. It eventually killed 800 people worldwide. But Chinese authorities have given the green light to scientists to test a vaccine on humans that has been successfully tried on animals. It is thought researchers could begin trials on humans soon. But an expert from the World Health Organisation said it would be one to two years before a safe and effective product is available. US and Canadian scientists who have also been working on a vaccine hope to begin testing on humans later this year. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 20 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iraqis march for immediate elections
'Elections now' - the demand of tens of thousands of mainly Shi'ite Iraqis who took to the streets to protest against what they regard as the slow pace of US plans to return power to the country. Under Washington's timetable regional bodies will select a transitional assembly by the end of May. It will in turn set up an interim government a month later. Full elections are not foreseen until 2005 after a constitution has been drawn up. The country remains too unstable for a general election, the US argues. At least 25 other people died in a suicide attack in Baghdad yesterday. It happened at the gates of the main US compound in the capital. Such attackshave convinced the Bush administration to accelerate the process of transition but it claims the pace cannot be forced any faster. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ UN return to Iraq discussed
American plans for Iraq were under discussion at the United Nations today where Secretary General Kofi Annan met the US's top administrator in the country and members of the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council. It hopes the UN can be persauded to return to Iraq from which it withdrew in October following deadly attacks on its offices in Baghdad. UN officials have not ruled out sending a team to Iraq but there are strong reservations about any fullscale return. But another perceived reason for the UN's reluctance to re-enter the country is an unwillingness to intervene, and by implication endorse, a process it had no role in formulating. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ First Japanese troops arrive in Iraq
While the United States may not be sure of receiving United Nations help in Iraq, Washington has been getting support from another quarter though. The first of an estimated 1,000 Japanese soldiers have entered Iraq from Kuwait. Although the contingent is due to concentrate on reconstruction and aid rather than combatant operations, it is still a historic step for Japan. The country's participation in Iraq marks the end of Tokyo's purely defensive post-war security policy. With popular opinion divided at home, it is a huge political risk for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi whose government could collapse is any Japanese troops are killed. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Iowa Caucuses
As the first indication of a Democrat candidate's Presidential ambitions, the Iowa caucus is a key popularity test. The caucuses are a party grassroots organising mechanism held in some 2,000 places across the state. Any registered voter, regardless of past or present party affliation - or lack of it - is eligible to take part. Between now and mid-June, 50 states will choose one or more delegates. They will go on to the county coventions where the selecting process begins for the Presidential nomination convention. However, the race is not as straightforward as it might appear. In some states, supporters can vote directly for one candidate, even though the National convention in June will ultimately decide the Democrat candidate. Nevertheless, as a measure of potential support, the caucuses are crucial. Iowa is not a typical state, being small, mid-western and mainly rural with a strong liberal streak, so it does not reflect the national picture. But over the years it has led the way in encouraging grassroots participation in the presidential selection process. In most precincts, delegates will need to draw 15 percent of the caucus-goers or their supporters will be forced to switch to another candidate. Eventually votes are taken and tallies are made and reported as numbers reflecting the delegate strength and thus popularity. So it is therefore possible that some of the dark horses in the race could end up with no delegates and no numbers at all. Such an outcome is highly unlikely for the frontrunners. But Joe Lieberman is not counting on the caucuses. He is looking to consolidate his position in party elections known as the primaries, so any support he gets will be an unexpected boost. Retired General Wesley Clark is also not campaigning in Iowa as he entered the race late. He too is saving his energies for elsewhere, namely the New Hampshire primary later this month. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Industrial unrest hits Italy's national airline
Much of Italy's air traffic ground to halt today as employees of national carrier Alitalia held a strike.Around 18,000 passengers were affected by the eight-hour stoppage.Alitalia workers are incensed by plans to slash 1,500 jobs over the next two years. The management tried to defuse tensions earlier this month by lifting a planned pay freeze, but unions have scoffed at the concession. Some are calling for chief executive Francesco Mengozzi to quit.Italians had been warned about the strike, but many of those arriving on international flights were caught out.Alitalia's cuts are part of a drive to offset expected operating losses. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 1 9 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suicide bomber strikes US headquarters in Iraqi capital
At least 23 people have been killed in a massive explosion outside the US headquarters in Baghdad. More than a hundred others were injured when a suicide bomber detonated half a tonne of explosives earlier this morning. The attack happened close to an area dubbed 'Assassin's Gate', a heavily fortified entrance to one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces. The Toyota pickup truck is believed to have been queuing to enter the complex when it was blown up. Two Americans are among the dead, many of the others were Iraqi commuters - they had been lining up at a security checkpoint, waiting to enter the complex to start work or to search for work. Officials say the death toll is expected to rise - many of the victims were so badly burnt, it was impossible to identify them. America's civilian administrator, Paul Bremer, called the killing "tragic and unforgiveable." It came a day before a key meeting on the country's political future. The United Nations, Iraq's Governing Council, US and British officials are set to attend the talks in New York. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Israel loosens grip on Gaza, admits workers
Several thousand Palestinians desperate for work have been allowed into Israel as the Jewish state eased its grip on the Gaza strip. The workers underwent stringent checks at the Erez crossing - many had been waiting since the early hours of the morning. Israel sealed off the territories last week after a suicide bomber killed three soldiers and a civilian at Erez. Three years of violence have wreaked havoc with the Palestinian and the Israeli economies - for thousands of Palestinians, a job in Israel is the only escape from poverty. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Sunday cabinet meeting focused on ways to foil an International Court of Justice ruling on Israel's hotly disputed security barrier. The government plans to challenge the tribunal's authority in the matter. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sweden-Israel spat thickens
A diplomatic row between Israel and Sweden, over an artwork allegedly glorifying suicide bombings, has deepened. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon praised his ambassador to Stockholm Zvi Mazel for wrecking the exhibit, saying he had struck a blow against anti-Semitism. But Israeli-born artist Dror Feiler accused Mazel of misunderstanding his work and branded him an "intellectual dwarf." Sweden's Ambassador to Israel Robert Rydberg faced calls for the display to be withdrawn from relatives of those who have died in Palestinian suicide attacks.He has been summoned for talks by the Israeli government. Mazel says he saw red when he came across Feiler's "Snow White and the Madness of Truth" at an exhibition linked to a conference against genocide. It features a boat floating on symbolic blood and carries the portrait of a Palestinian suicide bomber who killed herself and 22 Israelis in a restaurant last year. Mazel disconneted the spotlights illuminating the work and was asked to leave.He said incitement to hatred should never be confused with freedom of expression. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bomber targets Algerian-born French prefect
One of France's first Muslim prefects has been targetted in a bomb attack. An explosive device was planted in a car belonging to Aissa Dermouche close to his home in Nantes in the west of France. The 57-year-old Algerian-born Dermouche has just been given the post of prefect of the eastern Jura area, a role that includes regional responsibility for law and order. There are so far no clues as to who was behind the attack and police have now stepped up security surrounding Dermouche and his family. No-one was hurt in the blast, which the country's justice minister called an outrage. Analysts say the attack outlines the problems in assimilating France's five million Muslims and other minorities. Police are now carrying out tests on the vehicle and an investigation has been launched. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Breakthrough in probe into Red Sea air crash
Investigators probing the Egyptian plane crash that killed 148 people hope they are a step closer to discovering what caused the disaster. Both flight recorders have been recovered from the Red Sea by a French submarine robot and are now being examined. The all-important black box which records cockpit conversations is slightly more damaged than the plane's data recorder, but investigators still hope to find the exact cause of the crash. The boeing 737 flight, operated by Flash Airlines, crashed shortly after take-off from the popular resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. It was en route to Paris and was carrying mainly French tourists. Terrorism has been ruled out. The Egyptians say a technical fault was probably to blame. Authorities also defended the airline's safety record, after allegations Switzerland had banned it from flying in its airspace.
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Last Updated: 18 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iraq: Deadly blast at "assassin's gate" in Baghdad
At least 21 Iraqis and two Americans have been killed in a massive explosion outside the US military and civilian headquarters in Baghdad.Over 90 people were wounded in the blast which was caused by a suicide car bomb early this morning. It happened at a spot dubbed "assassin's gate" in front of the former presidential palace.The vehicle is thought to have been in a queue to enter the building when it blew up.Most of the casualties were commuters in their cars. Around seven vehicles were reported to be completely destroyed.The two American officials killed were employees of the US defence department.The blast rattled windows as far as two kilometres away.Relatives of the wounded have been arriving at hospitals. The chaotic scenes mark the latest chapter in Baghdad's bloody post-war era. The last major blast in the capital was a car bomb outside a city restaurant on New Year's Eve which killed at least eight people. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thousands protest at plans to ban headscarves in French state schools
Muslims from across the world have taken to the streets in protest at a looming ban on Islamic headscarves in France's state schools. Thousands of people took part in a march in Paris, outraged at the law proposed by French President Jacques Chirac. The ban on religious symbols also includes Jewish scullcaps and large crosses. The government has defended the ban, saying it was part of its efforts to uphold France's commitment to keep church and state separate. The planned law has divided opinion among France's five million Muslims, and has been criticised by Muslims abroad. French protest organisers have been accused of stirring up racial tension. "To remove our headscarves is like taking away our dignity," said one demonstrator. As well as in France, protests have been taking place in London, across the Middle East and in the German capital Berlin. Polls show a clear majority of the French public are in favour of a ban. Chirac's centre-right government wants to rush the law through parliament, so it could be in place before the beginning of the new school year in September. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Second "black box" picked up in Red Sea
They have already brought the first flight recorder to the surface and now search teams probing the crash of a Boeing 737 in the Red Sea have located and collected the second all-important "black box," which records conversations in the cockpit. It is another breakthrough for the French-led team who are using a remote-controlled robot as they scour the depths. And it brings investigators ever closer to solving the mystery of why the plane plunged into the water shortly after take-off from the Egyptian diving resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. All 148 people on board, most of them French tourists, lost their lives. With the second "black box" being raised to the surface, the first flight recorder has already been handed over to Egyptian investigators for analysis. This should help establish whether authorities there are correct in believing a technical fault was to blame for the tragedy.
18 January 2004
judicial year by compiling an angry list of grievances they want their minister to address. In Palermo, protesting judges refused their ceremonial red gowns and said they were wearing black in mourning for their profession. They left the court when the justice minister's representative got up to speak. In Milan, the ceremony only lasted three minutes, as the courthouse is in danger of imminent collapse ; symbolic say many of the disrepair into which Italy's legal system has fallen into. In Naples the minister himself Roberto Castelli defended his governments legal reform proposals which have outraged many in the legal profession. The justice system's major problems say critics are a blurring of the legislative/executive divide amounting to interference with its independence , those legal reforms which they claim will make things worse, and judges' workloads and the snail-like speed of resolving cases. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iowa test beckons for US Democrats
Decision day is drawing near for America's Democrats, with the countdown on to the first big test in this year's presidential race. The party must pick a candidate to compete in November's election and front-runner Howard Dean is confident he will boost his chances of leading the challenge by taking top spot in Monday's caucuses in Iowa. But success in the state will mean beating a man whose military credentials have helped him pick up support. Senator John Kerry was decorated for bravery in Vietnam, although he returned from the front an anti-war activist. He and Howard Dean are among four candidates neck and neck in the latest Iowa opinion polls. Sitting out the contest is another contender confident he is the candidate the Democrats need to get back into the White House. Retired general Wesley Clark, with the backing of the likes of Oscar-winning film-maker Michael Moore, launches his challenge in the next contest later this month in New Hampshire. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ambassador takes direct action over artwork
Israel's ambassador in Sweden has sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries after he attended an art exhibition at a Stockholm museum. The ambassador was so outraged by one exhibit that he switched off the lights around the installation, then threw a spotlight into the pool of red liquid on which floated a little boat bearing the photo of a female Palestinian sucide bomber. The artwork, titled "Snow white and the madness of truth", was part of the "Make a difference" show intended to complement an upcoming international conference on genocide in the city. It was made by an Israeli artist who, he says, lives abroad in "exile". Zvi Mazel was expelled from the show by the museum director, the ambassador called the exhibit "a monstrosity and an obscene distortion of reality", as he and his party scuffled their way out of the museum, sent on their way by apoligies form the director and his staff. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hubble condemned to early death
Astronomers and scientists around the world are mourning Hubble, the remarkable space telescope that NASA has announced it will no longer maintain or upgrade. Launched in 1990, the telescope has revolutionised the way we look at space and added vast quantities of knowledge to our understanding of the universe. Because of the speed at which light travels, Hubble often looks at things that happened aeons ago. It is effectively a giant time machine. Now time is up. Hubble's successor, the James Webb telescope,
is already designed. It will stand one and a half million kilometres
from the earth, where neither the earth nor sun's gravity can attract
it. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 17 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sixteen immigrants die as boat capsizes off Canaries
At least 16 people have drowned in the latest tragedy involving illegal immigrants trying to start a new life in Europe. Disaster struck off Fuerteventura, one of Spain's Canary islands, off the west coast of Morocco. A boat carrying the migrants from Africa capsized on a reef as it was nearing the beach, tipping its occupants into the sea. Nine survivors were taken for questioning by police. Officials have not ruled out that others may have died. Thousands of people, mainly Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans, try to enter Spain illegally every year. Many risk their lives in fragile, overcrowded boats. Most of those attempting the crossing to the Canary Islands don't know how to swim. It is estimated that up to 4,000 have died in recent years.
Muslims march in defence of veil
Thousands of people are expected on the streets of Paris today, to stand up for what they see as their religious freedom. They are outraged at a law that would ban Muslim headscarves from French state schools. Other conspicuous religious symbols such as Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses are also set to be outlawed in a move aimed at reinforcing the country's secular principles. "Our call is to say 'No' to this Islamophobic law. 'No' to a ban on the wearing of the headscarf," said Mohammed Latreche, one of those behind the rally. The issue has divided opinion among France's five million Muslims. Many politicians and voters, however, support the legislation. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Black Box found in Red Sea
A black box flight recorder has been found and was being brought to the surface of the Red Sea, amid hopes it holds answers as to why an Egyptian Boeing 737 crashed, killing all 148 people on board. It marks a major breakthrough for the French navy team helping to probe the tragedy near the diving resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Most of those who perished were tourists from France. The country has vowed to do all it can to discover why the plane plunged into the water shortly after take-off, almost two weeks ago. Egypt says a technical fault was to blame and not an explosion or attack. And, as the search for the second black box goes on, questions continue to be asked about Flash Airlines which operated the aircraft. Switzerland has revealed it had banned the firm from its airspace on safety grounds. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Washington wants UN return to Iraq
He may have toppled Saddam Hussein without the support of the UN Security Council, but George W. Bush is now eager for the United Nations to return to Iraq to oversee the handover of power. The White House hopes a wider UN role will convince the Iraqi people to support the transition process. The President was able to discuss the issue with Iraq's US Governor Paul Bremer who has made the trip to Washington. "We do think that there is a role for the United Nations in this process I have laid out," said Bremer. "The UN has a lot of expertise in organising elections, electoral commissions, electoral laws. (It) has a great deal of expertise it can bring to bear in the process of writing a constitution - all of these things, I'm sure, are going to be discussed during the course of the day, Monday." Monday is when Bremer is expected to ask Kofi Annan to send a fact-finding team to Iraq. The UN Secretary General pulled the organisation's international staff out of the country after last year's deadly bomb attack on the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ King of pop pleads innocence in child abuse case
Michael Jackson has pleaded not guilty to charges of child abuse. The popstar today made his first appearance in a California court in a case which could ruin his career. Hundreds of fans turned out in support and a media frenzy has erupted surrounding allegations Jackson abused a child. The 45 year old reclusive popstar has been charged with seven counts of child molestation on a boy under the age of 14 and two counts of giving him alcohol with the intent to commit a crime. Jackson has maintained his innocence and has called the allegations "a big lie". Jackson was arrested in November after police raided his Neverland ranch - he was formally charged a month later and bailed on more than two million euros. He could face nearly 20 years in prison if found guilty. It comes a decade after Jackson survived a similar brush with the law when he reached a multi-million dollar out of court settlement with the family of a teenage boy. Friday's appearance was largely a formality - the trial itself is not expected to start for a few months. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 16 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NASA celebrates as probe rolls onto Martian soil
There were scenes of jubilation in NASA mission control as the robotic rover called Spirit planted its six wheels firmly on Mars. Its initial excursion onto the Red Planet was beamed back to Earth and showed its now empty lander. The tracks made by Spirit on the dusty Martian soil could also be clearly made out. Scientists have been gearing up for this moment. They carried out numerous tests back on Earth to make sure the manoeuvre, which is one of the riskiest the rover will face, went smoothly. For the next three days, Spirit is to remain parked just under a metre away from the lander as controllers practice using its robotic arm and take more pictures of Martian soil. Then it is off on an historic voyage into the unknown to search for evidence of water on the Red Planet. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Russia readies to roll out its Mars mission
The success so far of the Spirit Rover augurs well for the US President's plans to continue exploring new worlds as well as the Red Planet. But first America needs to relaunch its space shuttle programme, grounded since Columbia tragically exploded on re-entry almost a year ago. NASA is hoping to resume operations later this year. However it will not really be able to set its sights on the Earth's satellite until construction of the International Space Station complete in 2010. Before then a new space shuttle is also due to be built with a manned mission to the moon is expected to take place around 2014. Space expert, John Logsdon, says the programme is perfectly possible, but going to Mars is a trip into the unknown. In Moscow, however, they are rubbing their hands in glee at the thought of putting a man on Mars. Work and technology from the Soviet Union's Rossaviakosmos lunar project has been preciously preserved since the programme was abandoned at the end of the 70's. Now NASA has asked the Russians to restart their engines. Moscow has long had the means through its Buria space shuttle to put a cosmonaut on the moon. Its scientist say a manned mission to Mars could even be realised within ten years. George Bush will likely long be off the US political scene by then but Washington will not refuse any financial or scientific aid it can muster to help it achieve its aims. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ESA welcomes US space programme
America's ambitious vision of future space exploration has caused no little excitement among Nasa's European counterparts. The Director General of the European Space Agency, Jean Jacques Dordain, has welcomed the projects. He says what Bush has done is to "fix a calendar" for further exploits in the solar system: "That which makes me envious is not the increase of Nasa's budget - I'd love to have the same - even more. It's rather that President Bush went to Nasa to talk about space. Because it's a sign. It's an important sign. It says that space is a priority at the highest political level in the United States." The EU's Commissioner for Research told Euronews Europe should keep pace: "It's indispensable to have an ambitious space policy. We've also outlined this. The probe mission to Mars was an example. Even if the final results were different to those of the Americans. So Europe needs an ambitious space programme and we need the means to do it. It's always the same thing. If one isn't given sufficient means one can't be competitive." .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Blair looks forward to "battle" on education fees
"The battle is still there to win". That was the message from the British prime minister at his first monthly news conference of the year. Tony Blair has been defending his plans to allow universities to charge students up to 4,300 euros each academic year, payable once a graduate starts to earn an annual salary of over 22,000 euros. Blair has previously said his authority will be "on the line" when parliament votes on the reforms on January 27. Today he reiterated that the changes were essential: "The reason why I put so much effort into university reform is that I genuinely believe in the future the only economic course for this country is to get a better and better educated workforce and we have to pay for that in a fair way." Blair insists the debate on so-called top-up fees, part of the government's Higher Education Bill, is swinging his way. But leading opponents claim some 100 Labour members of parliament could defy an appeal for solidarity, and deal Blair his first defeat on a major policy issue since he came to power in 1997. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Red Brigades arrests result of surveillance
Italian police say the arrest of two convicted Red Brigades militants who had been on the run for years was the result of months of surveillance. Rita Algranati and Maurizio Falessi were seized at Cairo airport while en route to Beiruit from Algeria where they had been living. They are reported to have claimed their detentions were the outcome of a deal between Algeria and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government. One Italian police commander said the pair were travelling on false passports. They were identified by authorities in Cairo and expelled from Egypt, he said. The Red Brigades, an extreme left wing group, carried out a series of political assassinations and other crimes in the 1970's and 80's. Their most high profile act was the kidnap and murder of former Italian prime minister Aldo Morro in 1978. Algranati was convicted of involvement and sentenced to life in prison in her absence in 1988. Falessi was sentenced to 23 years in absentia for other terrorist offences. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fears of spread of bird virus grip Asia
Fears of the spread of an epidemic worse than the SARS virus are gripping many parts of Asia. So far three people are confirmed to have died of the bird flu in Vietnam. It is racing through chicken farms in Asia. Millions of birds have been culled in South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and now Taiwan in an attempt to contain the outbreak. There are so far no signs of human-to-human transmission, but that possibility remains a major concern for the World Health Organisation. "What we worry about, in the back of our minds, is that if it does spread from human to human, then we'll have real problems," says Peter Cordingley, Spokesman for the WHO Regional office in Manila. Heath officials attribute infections in humans to contact with the faeces of infected birds. Symptoms of the bird flu in people include fever and coughing followed by eventual pneumonia. Experts say it could be more devastating than the SARS virus if it combines with a human influenza virus. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 15 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bush's new vision for US space programme.
US President George W Bush has outlined an ambitious new project to explore space well beyond the Earth. He says the space shuttle would be replaced by 2010 and a manned mission to the Mars will be underway by 2030. "Our third goal is to return to the moon by 2020 as the launching point four missions beyond. Beginning no later than 2008 we will send a series of robotic missions to the lunar surface to research and prepare for future human exploration," he said. "Using the crew exploration vehicle we will undertake extended human missions to the moon as early as 2015 with the goal of living and working there for extended periods of time." Bush believes the project will give Americans something to rally around.Critics say it is nothing more than an election year stunt that the US can barely afford. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Israeli blockade on Gaza Strip
The Israeli military has announced it has imposed a total blockade around the Gaza strip. The army says Palestinians will not be able to travel to Israel for 24 hours. The move comes a day after a woman suicide bomber struck at a Gaza border crossing, killing herself and four Israelis. The mother of two young children set off a device inside a room at a post where Palestinians are screened before crossing into Israel. The militant Islamic group Hamas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed joint responsibility. In a statement Hamas claimed the suicide bomber was the first woman to carry out a suicide attack on its behalf. A blockade on the Gaza strip will mean more economic hardship for thousands of Palestinians who will not be able to get to their workplaces. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military convoy attacked in Iraq
Three people have died in Iraq after their convoy of military supplies was attacked near Tikrit. The victims were two Pakistanis and a Turk. In Baquba, five people died and 22 were injured when a car bomb exploded near a police station. Many of the victims were police officers. With no sign of an early end to the tension, leading US Democrat Edward Kennedy has said Iraq could become "one of the worst blunders in over two centuries of US foreign policy". Meanwhile, suicide among US soldiers is on the rise in Iraq, with at least 21 troops taking their own lives. The suicides account for one in seven of American "non-hostile" deaths since the war began last March. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Motive for Lindh killing probed, national questions raised
On September 11 last year Sweden woke up to the shock that its much-loved minister for foreign affairs had been killed while doing her shopping in downtown Stockholm. The day before Anna Lindh's death she had been campaigning to encourage Swedes to vote 'yes' to adopting the euro, in a referendum. Many wondered: Could she have been killed because of her European convictions? Reality proved the answer would be more elusive. Following the crime, a video taken by a store's surveillance camera was broadcast nation-wide. It showed suspect number one. Witnesses backed this up. He was found on the 24th. Although he later confessed, he said he had not meant to kill. Lindh's jacket, in tatters from repeated stabbing, still bore the 'yes' to the euro badge. Traces of her blood marked the suspect's clothes. With the murder weapon, they were picked up in a sack discarded in a forest. Forensic tests confirmed they belonged to Mijailo Mijailovic, a Swedish-born 25-year-old of Serb origin who had sought psychiatric help before the attack. The media brought up Lindh's support for NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1999. Investigators have been reluctant to rule out a political motive, though Mijailovic said Jesus guided him. His lawyer, Peter Althin, argues he was not accountable for his actions: "When you ask for help, society should give you the help you ask for. And this is not what happened. Of course, I blame the system for that." More than one debate has erupted from the case: psychiatric funding cuts came in for scrutiny, as did the absence of body guards for senior politicians in Anna Lindh's open democracy. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ France & Germany ignore commission menace
The European Commission's decision to take the EU's Finance Ministers to the European Court of Justice for allowing France and Germany to violate EU budget rules is raising few eyebrows in Paris or Berlin. French Prime Minister Jean Pierre Raffarin says their actions are "clearly legal", and supports his German colleagues, who call the legal challenge "hard to explain". Commission head Romano Prodi says member states understand there are rules and different roles in the EU. He says the Commission's role is a risky one, but it is one he has to take. Prodi says defending the single currency and ensuring its treaty obligations are respected with 15 members is hard enough; with 25 members soon, rule bending will be impossible and the Commission needs a ruling now. John Palmer of the European Policies Centre agrees the Commission is acting responsibly, although at a difficult time for EU unity, and clarification of stability pact rules will have long-term value. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Red Brigades fugitives captured in Cairo
Two fugitive members of Italy's ultra-left militant group the Red Brigades are in custody in Rome after being arrested at Cairo Airport. One of the pair, 46-year-old Rita Algranati, was sentenced in absentia to life in jail in 1993 for her part in the kidnap and murder of former Italian premier Aldo Moro. Italy's Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu has welcomed the arrests of Algranati and 50-year Maurizio Falessi who was given 11 years in jail in absentia for the attempted murder of another politician. Pisanu said the government would continue to seek justice for the victims of terrorism and for their families. The Red Brigades terrorised Italy during the 1970s and early 1980s, the so-called "years of lead", a reference to assassinations by far-left and far-right groups. Aldo Moro, then head of the Christian Democratic party, was abducted in a street in Rome in 1978. Four of his bodyguards were killed in the operation. He was held for 55 days in a Rome apartment before his kidnappers killed him and dumped his body in the boot of a car. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Revised design for new WTC unveiled
A revised design for a new World Trade Centre in New York has been unveiled, after the concerns of victims' families were taken into account. The new plan features sunken pools fed by waterfalls on the site where the twin towers once stood. Surrounded by dozens of trees, the area will also have a special darkened area set aside for reflection. Families of those who died in the September 11 attacks felt the original design did not evoke the sanctity of the site. Among other additions will be an underground museum, which will house artefacts including shards of steel and the remains of charred emergency vehicles. The judges who had to choose a winning design out of more than 5,000 entries had to balance the needs of the city with the very personal views of the victims' relatives. Even the new plan looks set to be refined even further, as officials try to find the best possible compromise. The memorial plan is the centrepiece of a 10 year building project that will cost 12 billion dollars. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 14 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Berlusconi's team "relaxed" about legal setback
It could be back to court for Silvio Berlusconi to face a charge of bribery, but his lawyers say they are confident the result will be in his favour. The Italian Prime Minister was dealt a blow yesterday when the country's constitutional court annulled a legal immunity law that had earlier blocked his trial. The case, frozen last June, is now expected to restart. Critics of the immunity legislation claim it was drawn up solely for Berlusconi so he would not have to face a potentially damaging verdict. One of the Prime Minister's lawyers said the trial will recommence but they are in a relaxed mood. He says they are confident it will be proved there is no substance to the charges. "The decision is very important," said the prosecution lawyer. "It confirms the principle that all citizens are equal before the law." Berlusconi's allies claim he is the victim of a witch-hunt by left-wing judges with a political axe to grind, and insist the immunity law was similar to legislation in other EU states. While the corporate bribery case against Berlusconi was frozen in the summer, the trial against his co-defendants continued, with one of his former lawyers found guilty of using money to keep a judge on friendly terms. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Blast rocks Iraqi police station
It comes less than a week after at least six people were killed in a blast outside a mosque in the same town. Hours before the latest blast, US forces in Iraq detained four relatives of former vice-president Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the military said. Thrown to ground A police officer at the scene of the blast said a car sped towards the police station moments before the explosion. "I saw the remains of the car driver all over the place and the building was severely damaged." Witnesses said the force of the blast threw scores of people to the ground. Iraqi hospital sources said two civilians were killed and about 30 people, including 14 police officers, were hurt. The BBC's Alastair Leithead in Baghdad says the blast seems to be another attack aimed at destabilising the new Iraqi police force which has been assembled by the US-led coalition. There has been a spate of attack on Iraqi police stations in recent months. Baquba, a largely Sunni Muslim town, lies close to the so-called "Sunni triangle", where support for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein remains strong. 'One step closer' Ibrahim al-Douri is considered by many to have been the deposed Iraqi leader's right-hand man and is the most senior member of Iraq's former regime still at large. US forces have offered a $10m reward for the capture of Mr Douri, who they suspect of masterminding many attacks on coalition forces. US Lieutenant Colonel David Poirier said the men arrested had been "enablers" for Mr Douri and they had good information on his whereabouts. "We think that [the raid] brought us one step closer to finding him," he told Reuters. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the dead and injured were Israelis, Israeli officials said. Correspondents say there have been several attacks around this well-guarded and heavily fortified area over the past three years. Israeli officials said the attack was carried out by a female suicide bomber. 'Glass and smoke' The woman blew herself up as Palestinians were going through security checks before entering a nearby industrial complex. "Arabs were screaming, Jews were screaming, nobody knew what was going on." Erez is the main crossing point between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which is surrounded by an Israeli fence to stop suicide bombers entering Israel. The blast is the first suicide attack since 25 December, 2003, when four Israelis were killed and over 20 injured in a blast near the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. The attack came a day after a 29-year-old Jewish settler was killed by Palestinian militants in a drive-by shooting near the West Bank city of Ramallah. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Syria rejects Israeli invite for peace talks
It is turning into a war of words. Syria has dismissed an Israeli invitation to discuss peace as 'a media manoeuvre'. Israel's president Moshe Katsav invited his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to Jerusalem for negotiations but Damascus rejected the offer as 'not serious'. However Katsav says if Syria was committed to peace it would not have done that: "If indeed President al-Assad is serious in his intention to reach real peace, permanent peace with Israel, the right way is to do it is not by public announcement, the right way is by bilateral direct negotiations with Israeli leaders and, of course, he could choose secret diplomatic channels for achieving it." Israel and Syria are still technically at war - peace talks broke down four years ago over the future of the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 war. Recent US-sponsored talks between the two nations collapsed over the issue of how much of Golan should be returned. Syria wants it all but Israel sees the territory as strategically important for controlling the Sea of Galilee, its biggest reservoir. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sharon says Israeli still committed to road map
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says it is too early to write off the US-backed road map for peace in the Middle East. Amid frequent heckling from opposition left-wingers, he re-iterated that if the Palestinians do not comply with their side of the deal, he is ready to take unilateral steps towards separation. His declaration was approved in a parliamentary vote on Monday. He has previously said these go-it-alone measures would cost Palestinians some of the occupied territory they seek for an independent state. Meanwhile, up to 100,000 Israeli right wingers have been demonstrating against Sharon's plans to dismantle some Jewish settlements. The rally in Tel Aviv was the largest show of force by the pro-settler lobby since December. Some Israelis interpret the plans as a sell-out to terrorism while the Palestinians have denounced the proposals for leaving many of the settlements in place. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ US soldier killed in Iraq bombing
A US soldier and an Iraqi have been killed in the latest bloodshed in Iraq. An exchange between guerrillas and US forces in the town of Ramadi west of Baghdad left one Iraqi dead and six injured. The American victim died when a bomb exploded close to a convoy in central Baghdad. Two other troops were injured in the attack. Elsewhere in Ramadi US forces say they discovered a large weapons cache after a tip-off from a local Iraqi. Against the backdrop of continuing violence Spain's Foreign Minister, Ana Palacio, has had discussions with senior Iraqi and coalition officials, including her Iraqi counterpart, Hoshyar Zebari. She said: "I think that minister Zebari and myself share the view of the role that the United Nations has to play and the fact that you can't play that role at a distance. There must be a presence of the UN in Iraq. This is crucial." That is a theme that may be explored when Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar meets US officials in Washington on Tuesday. Spain is one of the United States' strongest supporters over Iraq and one of the biggest contributors of troops to the coalition. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Solana's show of support for Khatami
European Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana has expressed grave concerns over Iran's coming elections. He spoke out against the decision by the Iranian constitutional watchdog - the unelected Guardian Council - to ban thousands of President Mohammed Khatami's liberal allies from standing in next month's election. Those disqualified include 80 members of the 290-seat parliament, currently dominated by reformists. Twelve MPs have resigned in protest at the move and dozens more are holding a sit-in protest. Solana told a news conference Iran is facing international scrutiny: "We want very much for the election process to be as free and as clear as possible. Not only the election itself but the pre-election process too. This, I am sure, is what the vast majority of people want too." He added that it would be difficult to explain to the EU how people already in parliament may be barred from running for re-election. The Council has been a major thorn in the side of Khatami's reform efforts and last year blocked a bill he had proposed to curb its power to veto election candidates. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bush heads south for Americas summit
Mexico's President Vicente Fox is likely to push for more border concessions from US President George Bush over the two-day Summit of the Americas. While backing his recent plans for a temporary worker programme which would benefit Mexicans, he'd like to see open borders between Mexico, the US and Canada. Bush was expected at the summit on Monday. His foreign policies are likely to come under fire both inside and on the street. About 200 people marched through the northern Mexican city of Monterrey - the summit venue - yesterday, carrying anti-American banners, some drawing comparisons between Bush and the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.ù .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Latin leaders make a stand at Monterrey
Today's fellowship of Latin American leaders bears little resemblance to that which presided over the last summit back in 2001. The balance of power has tilted in favour of the left. The new spirit of partnership is perhaps best symbolised by the relationship between Brazil and Argentina - an axis which has not hidden its determination to fight Washington's economic domination. A clear example of this was last year's agreement between Peru and the common market group, Mercosur. The deal paved the way for the creation of a free trade bloc among South American countries, a move Brazil's President Lula said would help change the face of the continent. The United States appears undecided about where or whom to put its weight behind. Lula's attacks on Washington policy have not won him many friends in the White House. But if the US blocks his path, other more hostile leaders could take his place, like Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. Argentina gave many of its smaller and poorer neighbours hope by defying orders from the International Monetary Fund as it struggled to climb out of its worst economic crisis. Encumbered by its massive debt, President Nestor Kirchner made his own payback terms and devised a new way to combat poverty - the main problem affecting the region. Across the continent, there are some 220 million people living below the poverty line. Around 20 million jobs have been lost in the last three years. In Mexico alone, more than a million agriculture posts have been wiped out since the North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect a decade ago. Although many economies were aided last year by the 32 billion dollars sent back by immigrant workers in the United States, it is certainly not enough to go round, which is why countries like Mexico are urging America to do more, like show greater flexibility at its borders. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lindh killer "commanded by voice of Jesus"
With the trial of the man acccused of murdering Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh due to begin on Wednesday prosecuters have been outlining their case. They claim forensic evidence links Mijailo Mijailovic to the murder weapon and the victim who was stabbed in Stockholm department store in September. The 25 year old confessed to the murder last week after previously denying involvement since his arrest on September 24th. Mijailovic is reported to have told police the voice of Jesus commanded him to attack Lindh. He is also understood to have told his defence team the murder was neither planned nor politically motivated. The brutal killing of the popular minister stunned the nation and caused much reflection on security measures surrounding senior politicians. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Albania vows crackdown on people smugglers
Albania's observed a day of mourning for the victims of a tragedy at sea which claimed the lives of 20 migrants who were trying to enter Italy illegally. A search is continuing for seven others missing after the boat they were travelling in was swamped by waves in icy waters off the Albanian coast. At midday people across the country took part in a three minute silence in memory of those who died. There were emotional scenes as trucks carrying the coffins made their way through the port of Vlore from where they had originally set off. Two of the 11 who survived are suspected of belonging to trafficking ring behind the doomed voyage. The disaster has unleashed an unprecedented backlash against the people-smuggling trade. The authorities have promised a new crackdown against corrupt officials suspected of involvement. A police chief and an employee of the port of Vlore are among several people arrested in connection with the incident. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Paedophiles make the most of new mobile technology
There is new evidence that child pornography crime has rocketed in Britain largely due to the internet. According to children's charity, NCH, there's been a fifteen fold rise over the 15 years. Some 549 child porn offenders were either cautioned or charged in 2001, compared with only 35 in 1988. John Carr, the author of its report, says the problem may be getting worse because of third generation mobile phones with video streaming capabilities. The figures for 2003 are expected to be much higher because of the impact of Operation Ore, an investigation into thousands of Britons accused of accessing one US-based child porn site using credit cards. Although it is technically possible to track down offenders, police say more money and resources are needed. As the internet becomes more mobile, experts fear the illicit trade will be even more widespread and difficult to trace because the new phones are in some ways even more anonymous. The NCH is calling for a "unified international approach" to tackle the problem. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 12 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Albania in shock after 21 refugees drown trying to reach Italy
Albania has declared a national day of mourning after at least 21 people drowned trying to reach Italy illegally. Many are angry that people-smugglers behind the tragedy have been operating despite a government claim months ago that it had wiped out the trade. Two men will face murder charges - one of them the son of an anti-terrorist police chief. The deputy director of Vlore port, where the doomed dinghy set off, and at least two maritime police officers have also been arrested in the widening probe. The migrants died when their boat was overwhelmed by icy waves in the Adriatic sea. Seven people are missing and, given the weather conditions, there is little hope of finding them alive. Eleven survivors were taken back to Vlore. The incident has evoked sympathy in Italy but sparked concerns of a new wave of migrants after a 1997 accord with Albania stemmed their flow. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ New Turkish Cypriot leaders vow to seak peace deal
There is new hope a united Cyprus might join the European Union on May 1st. Turkish Cypriot pro-reunification leader Ali Talat has decided to form a coalition government with Serdar Denktash, son of the Turkish Cypriot president and a fierce opponent of United Nations plans to bring north and south together. The two leaders have pledged to work towards a deal to reunite the island. Cyprus has been divided between the Turkish-controlled north, recognised only by Ankara, and the Greek-administered south for the past 30 years. Whether a deal is reached or not, the internationally-recognised south will join the EU in May. Under the UN plan, Cyprus would become a loose federation with broad autonomy for both ethnic communities. But Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash opposes this and wants two separate states. Ankara, which is eager to smooth its own path for entry into the EU, should welcome the new power-sharing government. Failure to reach a peace deal could jeopardise its own chances of starting accession talks next year. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Poland to fight its corner in the EU
Poland will mount a robust defence of its interests in the European Union, Prime Minister Leszek Miller said in a TV address. He told Poles he would fight for their rights just like the leaders of France and Germany stand up for their compatriots. Miller appeared to be trying to calm Polish fears of being dominated by the Franco-German axis when the country joins the EU in May. Tensions with Paris and Berlin over voting rights in an enlarged union came to a head at the Brussels summit last month. Talks on the European constitution collapsed when both sides refused to budge - with France and Germany demanding a new voting system to reflect their populations, and Poland and Spain defending the existing one. Paris and Berlin are now talking about a two-speed Europe - an unpleasant prospect for Warsaw, the largest new member. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ New suspected cases of SARS emerge in China
Two new suspected cases of SARS have emerged in southern China. The country's first confirmed case since last year's outbreak was made public last Monday: the patient, a 32-year old television producer from Guangzhou, has now recovered. The two suspected cases are a waitress and a man from Guangdong province. Doctors from the World Health Organisation have been scouring the apartment bloc where the TV producer lived searching for clues as to how he caught the flu-like virus. SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome first emerged in Guangdong late in 2002 and went on to infect more than 8,000 people worldwide, killing around 800. Health officials in Guangdong province have been holding an open day to answer questions on SARS and inform people about the virus which is thought to spread through droplets in coughs and sneezes. While it has no specific cure, doctors have managed to treat SARS patients with an anti-viral drug and steroids. Health officials have linked the one confirmed case to civets, weasel-like animals eaten as a delicacy in southern China. While the man denied any contact with civets, authorities have nevertheless ordered a cull in the hope of averting a spread of the disease. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 11 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iraqi civilians die during clash with British soldiers
Iraqi protestors and British troops have been involved in deadly clashes which have seen five people killed. Angry demonstrators took to the streets of Amarah in protest at the lack of jobs in the city. Witnesses say the protestors threw stones and explosive devices at Iraqi police and when British soldiers moved in to restore order, five people were shot. The Shia Muslim city of Amarah is under UK control and has so far seen much less unrest than in Sunni Muslim areas close to Baghdad. Meanwhile, an international humans rights group has criticised the US military for its handling of Iraqis seeking compensation for relatives killed or injured by American troops. Paola Gasparoli is head of Occupation Watch: "The problem of compensation is becoming enormous. To take care of this situation, to change the law that they are using, to give much more attention to Iraqi needs and Iraqi tradition may help in managing this situation." The US military has not yet responded to the accusations. The group says the biggest problem with the claims process is the lack of clarity - adding the US treatment of families pursuing claims sometimes bordered on the cruel. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iraqi civilians die during clash with British soldiers
Iraqi protestors and British troops have been involved in deadly clashes which have seen five people killed. Angry demonstrators took to the streets of Amarah in protest at the lack of jobs in the city. Witnesses say the protestors threw stones and explosive devices at Iraqi police and when British soldiers moved in to restore order, five people were shot. The Shia Muslim city of Amarah is under UK control and has so far seen much less unrest than in Sunni Muslim areas close to Baghdad. Meanwhile, an international humans rights group has criticised the US military for its handling of Iraqis seeking compensation for relatives killed or injured by American troops. Paola Gasparoli is head of Occupation Watch: "The problem of compensation is becoming enormous. To take care of this situation, to change the law that they are using, to give much more attention to Iraqi needs and Iraqi tradition may help in managing this situation." The US military has not yet responded to the accusations. The group says the biggest problem with the claims process is the lack of clarity - adding the US treatment of families pursuing claims sometimes bordered on the cruel. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Death of migrants heading to Italy
At least 20 illegal immigrants have died trying to reach Italy's coast from Albania. A further 11 people survived the ordeal when their packed rubber dinghy capsized in rough seas. They have been taken to Albanian ports. Coastguards are trying to establish if there was a second boat. The dinghy left Albania on Friday. One of the people onboard apparently made an SOS call by mobile phone but it took coastguards twelve hours to find the vessel. It turned over close to the island of Saseno, between Albania and Greece. Two Albanian policemen reportedly linked to the incident have been arrested. Illegal immigration to Italy has increased in recent months, mostly from Africa and eastern Europe. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Coalminers die in Siberian blast
An explosion in a Siberian coal mine has left five workers dead. At least 13 other miners have been injured. The men had been working at depths of around 170 metres near Kemerovo when the methane explosion ripped through the mine. Kemerovo is around 3,000 kilometres east of the Russian capital Moscow. Dozens of men were swiftly brought to the surface. Many had been trapped underground for hours. Two of the injured are in a serious condition. Those hospitalised are being treated for burns, whiplash and shock. Mining accidents are not unheard of in this part of the world. Every year, dozens of workers are killed in the country's mines - including last June's mine collapse which killed 12 men in Kemerovo. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Black Sea turns white
A strange phenomenon has occurred in the Black Sea - it has frozen over. Biologists have been left baffled after the sea froze in southeastern Romania. It is almost two decades since it last frosted over. Mirela Nita is a Meteorologist: "Very cold air moved in from the south of Russia where temperatures are extremely low - it met more humid and warmer air from the Mediterranean Sea above the Black sea causing the water to freeze." In 1985, the Black Sea froze for almost three months between February and April. The ice spread for tens of kilometres offshore. Marine wildlife migrates towards deeper waters so only vegetation around the shoreline is affected. .---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 10 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ French robots hunt for doomed airliner's black boxes
France is deploying its most sophisticated technology to find out why an airliner plunged into the Red Sea six days ago, killing 148 people. The search for the elusive black boxes resumed after salvage workers paused for a day to let families come to terms with their grief. Memorial services were held on Thursday with senior French and Egyptian figures in attendance. The flight recorders are stuck awkwardly on deep underwater ledges and there is a risk they could fall further from reach. A French Super Achilles robot will be doing its best to ensure that does nothappen. It will soon be joined by the the Scorpio 2000, which can operate in even deeper waters. Although Egypt has ruled out terrorism, French investigators want to look into the backgrounds of the crew members for possible links with Islamic extremists. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Six die in Iraqi "bicycle bomb" attack
A bicycle bomb outside a Shi'ite mosque in Iraq has claimed at least six lives. Dozens of other people were injured in the blast at the end of Friday prayers. A gas cylinder filled with explosives and strapped to a bike blew up outside the building. Many of those hit had been praying on the pavement because of lack of space inside. North of Baghdad, Baquba is in a largely Sunni Muslim area which is a hotbed of resistance to the US-led occupation of Iraq. US forces have mounted major operations in and around the town to try to capture those behind the attacks .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ US raids target Tikrit
Hundreds of US soldiers have stormed houses and shops in Saddam Hussein's former stronghold of Tikrit in their latest effort to stamp out violence blamed on those loyal to the former leader. Suspects, weapons and other incriminating material were what the troops were looking for and dozens of arrests were made. The army swooped just hours after truckloads of Iraqis were released from jail at the start of a wide-ranging prisoner amnesty. The message from the military was clear - there remains no let up in security measures on the ground. "It was a good night," Lieutenant-Colonel Steven Russell told reporters. "Tikrit will be a safer place tomorrow as a result." The searches failed to uncover arms caches. Fake Iraqi police identity cards however were among the items found. As the raids were carried out there was a fresh flare-up of violence elsewhere, with rockets fired at a hotel used by Westerners in Baghdad. No one was hurt. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Veteran Italian philosopher Bobbio dead at 94
Norberto Bobbio, one of Italy's best-known philosophers of the 20th century has died at the age of 94. He taught at various universities throughout his life and authored numerous books on political theory. But he was much more than an academic. Bobbio was respected by a wide audience as a public intellectual committed to democracy and human rights. He was marked by the experience of growing up under Mussolini, something that shaped his lifelong passion for liberal politics. Bobbio was made a senator for life in 1984. |
Last Updated: 9 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Italian public transport hit by strikes
Local public transport in Italy is set to be in chaos today as drivers of buses, trams and underground trains resume their industrial action despite a new pay deal. The strike has been called by a group of left-wing unions, which did not sign the agreement struck between the main unions and employers in December. Yesterday a walkout by air traffic controllers led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights around Europe. The controllers said they were forced to work without a contract for two years. Thousands of passengers were stranded at airports in various Italian cities including Rome, Milan, Bologna and Naples. Many airlines struggled to provide alternative journeys. Worst affected by the stoppage was national carrier Alitalia. The state-run firm said 334 of its international and domestic flights had to be cancelled. Alitalia staff were threatening to strike over a rescue plan involving 1,500 job cuts. The airline has now delayed implementing the plan until the end of January and is raising salaries to bring them in line with inflation over the last two years. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spain detains hundreds of illegal immigrants
Spanish authorities have detained nearly 300 migrants in the Canary Islands. They had been trying to reach Spanish territory illegally, in nine different boats. The 296 migrants arrived on the islands of Fuerteventura and Tenerife overnight between Wednesday and Thursday. The detentions bring to over 500 the number of people intercepted in attempts to reach the islands since the start of the year. Most of the would-be immigrants were from sub-Saharan Africa. The group also included 17 men from India. Police have arrested four Moroccans suspected of organising the boat journeys. In December, Spain said it would grant Morocco 390 million euros to try to slow illegal migration. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a Black Hawk helicopter went down in Iraq, killing nine American soldiers, coalition troops pledged to push ahead with raids against suspected guerrillas. The helicopter went down near the town of Falluja, a bastion of support for the former regime. While some witnesses say they saw a rocket fired at the helicopter, the US military has still not given a cause for the crash. A transport plane earlier came under fire soon after taking off from Baghdad, causing an explosion in one of the engines. It made a safe emergency landing. US troops say they have raided homes and shops across Tikrit, trying to weed out remaining resistance in the hometown of former President Saddam Hussein. Some 300 soldiers took part in the operation, arresting at least 13 people suspected of involvement in attacks on coalition forces. The military is reinforcing divisions across the country in response to the resistance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ More violence feared in Haiti
Several businesses in Haiti's capital have shut up shop after the opposition called a general strike for Thursday and Friday. It followed a day of violent protests on Wednesday, in which at least two people died and more than 20 were injured. Wednesday's bloodshed occurred when demonstrators encountered armed supporters of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Port-au-Prince. Police officers also got involved. Resentment against President Aristide has been increasing over recent months. The opposition accuses the former Roman Catholic priest of corruption and is calling on him to resign. Last week violent confrontations overshadowed celebrations to mark 200 years since the Caribbean country gained independence from France. Aristide has pledged to hold fresh legislative elections this year but says he plans to serve out his term until 2006. The poorest nation in the western hemisphere, Haiti has had 53 different leaders since independence. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After emotional ceremonies in honour of the victims of last Saturday's Egyptian airliner crash, the search is back on to find answers. France has announced it is sending more expertise to help find the black boxes from the plane that crashed into the Red Sea killing 148 people, mostly French tourists. A special underground robot and two mini sub-marines are due to arrive over the next day or two. The black boxes record flight data and conversations between the pilots, and it is hoped they will provide clues as to why the plane crashed shortly after take-off from Sharm-el-Sheikh. The salvage job will not be easy though - the flight recorders are stuck on underwater ledges, and there is a risk they could fall further from reach. As relatives gathered to say their last farewells, the French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin pledged to find out exactly what happened. Paris says there is no reason to suspect a terrorist attack, dismissing claims by a previously unknown Islamic group that it brought down the plane. Egypt has also defended the plane's operator Flash Airlines, which denies claims it had previously been banned in Switzerland because of safety concerns. Flash has announced it is planning to pay compensation to the victims' families amounting to 275,000 euros for each passenger. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Anti-Bush campaigners plan television adverts
A liberal activist group in the US called "MoveOn.org", working to defeat President Bush in this year's election, has invited the public to submit short television adverts. The contest is called "Bush in 30 Seconds." A shortlist of 15 has been chosen and will now go before a celebrity panel including author and film-maker Michael Moore, popstar Moby and movie director Gus Van Sant. Billionaire financier George Soros has given five million dollars to the group which has already run adverts in key swing states such as Ohio and Florida. The broadcasts criticise the Bush administration for spending billions on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan instead of on education and healthcare in the US. MoveOn.org says it creates what it calls "electronic advocacy groups." It started through an email campaign against the impeachment of former president Bill Clinton. At the other end of the ideological spectrum, the self-named Club for Growth has launched a television advert attacking Democratic front-runner Howard Dean.
Anti-Bush campaigners plan television adverts
A liberal activist group in the US called "MoveOn.org", working to defeat President Bush in this year's election, has invited the public to submit short television adverts. The contest is called "Bush in 30 Seconds." A shortlist of 15 has been chosen and will now go before a celebrity panel including author and film-maker Michael Moore, popstar Moby and movie director Gus Van Sant. Billionaire financier George Soros has given five million dollars to the group which has already run adverts in key swing states such as Ohio and Florida. The broadcasts criticise the Bush administration for spending billions on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan instead of on education and healthcare in the US. MoveOn.org says it creates what it calls "electronic advocacy groups." It started through an email campaign against the impeachment of former president Bill Clinton. At the other end of the ideological spectrum, the self-named Club for Growth has launched a television advert attacking Democratic front-runner Howard Dean. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ British Queen launches 'queen of the seas'
Britain's Queen Elizabeth has launched the world's largest ever ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2. Two thousand guests joined her at Southampton dock on the south coast of England as she pushed the button to smash the ceremonial bottle of champagne. The 700 million euro vessel will ply the trans-Atlantic route and provides high-class and high-price travel. It has 1,300 cabins including four royal suites and six penthouses. Guests willing to pay 3,500 euros for a two-week trip will be able to enjoy swimming pools, bars and restaurants, as well as an art gallery, casino and planetarium. But the celebrations have been overshadowed by the deaths of 15 people last November when a gangway to the ship collapsed in the French port of St. Nazaire, where it was being built. .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 8 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Controversial rethink on US immigration policy.
A new three-year employment visa is being proposed by US President George Bush. The plan is being described as a chance for millions of illegal workers already in the US to get temporary legal status. "Out of common sense and fairness, our laws should allow willing workers to enter our country and fill jobs that Americans are not filling," said the President. Once the visa expires workers will have to go back to their home country and re-apply if they want to return to the US. "Our reforms should be guided by a few basic principles," said Bush. "First, America must control its borders. Second, new immigration laws should serve the economic needs of our country." Critics say Bush is trying to win more Hispanic support ahead of this year's presidential elections. Immigrant support groups say a shake-up is long overdue, but the current plan is not good for undocumented workers who want permanent legal status. Angelica Salas, from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, said: "I think a step forward is always good. However, I think that for those who have been here for many, many years, this is not a solution." The three-year visa would be issued to those who can prove they have a job, but authorities say it will not lead to permanent residency. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Red Sea memorial services for air crash victims
Relatives of the Sharm el-Sheik air-crash victims have arrived at the Egyptian resort in the hope of finding some comfort in ceremonies for their loved ones. Two memorial services will take place today for the 148 victims, most of whom were French tourists. One ceremony will take place overlooking the Red Sea. The other will be on the water close to where the plane came down. As the relatives arrived the final touches were being put to a memorial site. Among those paying respects will be the French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin. Some 500 French personnel are helping in the operation to locate the plane. De Villepn said the French government will do all in its power to establish how the tragedy happened and where responsibility lies. Experts believe they have detected signals from the flight recorders of the Flash Airlines Boeing 737. The wreckage of the aircraft is lying too deep to be retrieved without specialist equipment. France Telecom has offered a robot submarine to the recovery effort. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Students jailed for shunning israeli army
Five Israeli students have been sentenced to a year in jail for refusing to serve in the army. Calling themselves conscientious objectors, they accuse the Israeli Defence Forces of being an occupying army. One of the students, Noam Bahat, said: "This is not the highest price to pay. The Palestinians pay a higher price every day for the occupation which they have no choice over." A military court said the one-year jail term was aimed at deterring others from refusing to serve in the army for political reasons. Since the outbreak of fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in September 2000, more than 550 Israeli reserve soldiers have publicly declared their refusal to serve in the Palestinian territories. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Six sentenced over Belgian politician's murder
Six men found guilty of involvement in the murder of Belgium's deputy prime minister 12 years ago have been given jail sentences of between five and 20 years. The verdict brought to an end one of the country's longest running criminal cases but failed to establish exactly why Andre Cools was targetted. A former high-ranking Socialist colleague of Cools was suspected of masterminding the killing, a charge he denied right up until his suicide two years ago. Two of those found guilty were tried in their absence. The sentences have been welcomed by members of the victims' family. Responding to reporters' questions his daughter said she was very moved by the outcome. She said it was a reasonable verdict considering the degree of doubt. The jury acquitted two other men accused of involvement in the murder. One said the most important thing for him was that the Cools family recognised his innocence. Cools was gunned down in the town of Liege - his girlfriend was injured in the attack. Two Tunisians were found guilty of carrying out the shooting and are serving sentences in their home country. Cools' death sent the Socialist Party into disarray for the rest of the decade. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Greek FM tipped to replace Simitis
George Papandreou has not confirmed his candidacy but the Greek Foreign Minister is being hotly tipped as his country's next leader following the surprise election announcement by Prime Minister Costas Simitis. Papandreou praised Simitis' decision to stand down as Socialist party leader and call an early poll. "Prime Minister Simitis has taken a bold step to move forward renewal of the governing party of Greece and allow it to deal with challenges more effectively of our society and our problems, and our hopes and prospects as Greece." Simitis has set March the 7th as election day. He said he was resigning as Socialist party leader to make way for a new generation. Polls this year have placed the opposition New Democracy Party ahead of the Socialists. The governing party's leaders are expected to meet soon to discuss Papandreou's candidacy. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Naming ceremony for Queen Mary II
The world's largest ocean liner will get the royal seal of approval today when she is officially named by the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth, at a ceremony in the English port of Southampton today. The Queen Mary II is the tallest, widest, heaviest and most expensive passenger ship ever built. The vessel, built in St Nazaire in France, is the last word in opulence and its operator, Cunard, hopes it will recapture the glory days of the luxury cruise liner. The Queen Mary's already been touched by tragedy however - 15 people were killed when one of its gangways collapsed at St Nazaire. .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 7 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Families of French killed in Sharm el-Sheikh aircrash travel to Egypt
The families of the French tourists who died in the Sharm el-Sheikh crash are travelling to Egypt. They are escorted by doctors and psychologists. They will be taking part in a memorial ceremony on Thursday. The Egyptian plane, an 11-year old Boeing 737, crashed into the sea shortly after take-off on Saturday killing all 148 people onboard, most of whom were French. France has sent 500 people to help the Egyptian authorities in the recovery search. The flight recorders, otherwise known as "black boxes", have been roughly located but are too deep. It could take up to a week to get the equipment needed to retrieve them. The boxes, which are in fact orange so they can be located more easily, would help resolve doubts over the mystery of the crash. Questions have been raised over the safety record of
the Egyptian carrier Flash Airlines which had been banned from both
Swiss and Polish airspace. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ New inquest into Diana's death adjourned
More than six years after her death, Diana continues to haunt the British royal family, but even close allies have dismissed her suspicion that her ex-husband Charles was plotting to kill her. The news has made the front-page of a tabloid newspaper and coincides with the opening of two inquests into the deaths of Diana and her boyfriend Dodi al-Fayed. It was revealed in a letter written by the Princess to her former butler Paul Burrel. Although it had been sold to the press, the passage identifying Charles was originally blanked out. Burrel claims he had no intention of making it public: "I'm not happy about it, I only found out about it late last night. And it was always my intention to never publish that name, I never ever wanted it to be published." Dodi's father, Egyptian-born multimillionaire businessman Mohammed al-Fayed, has always claimed Diana and his son were murdered: "I'm always saying this from the beginning, that this is the head of the royal family and I suspect not only Prince Charles but Prince Philip who is racist to the core." Royal coroner Michael Burgess has adjourned the inquest into Diana's death for up to 15 months, saying judicial proceedings in France must be concluded before he can have access to documentation compiled by French investigators. He has also asked London's Metropolitan Police to investigate whether conspiracy theories should be part of the inquest. Diana, Dodi and their chauffeur died on 31st August 1997 in a car crash under the Pont de l'Alma in Paris. A French inquiry ruled the accident was caused by their driver being drunk. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Noroxo denies links to Legionnaires' outbreak
The management of a petrochemicals factory in northern France is denying the plant is responsible for the deaths of seven people in an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. Authorities have ordered the Noroxo factory in the town of Harnes to be temporarily closed. Tests have shown some of the victims were infected by the same bacteria as were found in the facility's cooling system. France's Environment Minister, Roselyne Bachelot, said the plant had been cleaned thoroughly in October but the authorities had not been notified that that Legionnaires bacteria had been detected. She said operations at the factory continued despite the discovery. Fifty-nine people were infected last November in the Pas-de-Calais region in France's biggest outbreak of Legionnaires disease. Noroxo is the only source to have been identified so far. But the company has said that even if the same bacteria had been found at the factory, that did not necessarily imply it was the source of the contamination. A judicial investigation into the incident has been launched. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Libya "very forthcoming" over WMD says Powell
US Secretary of State Colin Powell says the US aims to work with Libya to verify it is ending its nuclear arms programme. After talks with the Tunisian foreign minister Powell praised Tunisia for helping persuade Libya to renounce its nuclear ambitions. But he reiterated there would be no immediate lifting of sanctions: "The next step is to make sure we have a clear understanding of what Libya possesses, make sure it matches up to what we think they possess, and what they tell us they possess, and they are very forthcoming to this point, and then make sure that we have worked with them to verify their holdings and the destruction of those holdings in accordance with the terms of the agreement." The surprise weapons announcement by President Muammar Gadaffi's regime has been welcomed by the Bush administration but, rather than giving a timetable for the removal of sanctions, Washington has only offered to try to improve relations. Tripoli has hinted that if the US does not lift the punitive measures it may not pay the remaining compensation it has promised to victims of the Lockerbie bombing. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Aquatic memorial to be built on Ground Zero
A design has finally been approved for a September 11th memorial on Ground Zero in New York. Two reflecting pools will be built where the World Trade Centre's twin towers once stood. The design, called "Reflecting Absence", was selected out of eight finalists by a 13-member jury. The names of the 2,752 people who died in the September 11th attacks will be engraved in random order on stone parapets surrounding the pools. But not everyone is happy with the decision - the Coalition of 9/11 Families has rejected all eight designs because it claims none of them preserve the entirety of the towers' original foundations. Changes will be made to the original design, which is on display at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden next to Ground Zero. They will be made public next week. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Orthodox Russians celebrate Christmas
Russian president Vladimir Putin has been celebrating Orthodox Christmas at Suzdal cathedral in central Russia. Orthodox Christmas begins officially when the first star, symbolising the star of Bethlehem, appears in the sky on the night of 6th January: according to the Julian calendar, this represents the eve of Christ's birth. Once the first star can be seen, the faithful head for church for the three-hour long Christmas eve mass. After midnight and a day-long fast, they go home to a feast which often includes pig, turkey or goose. The ritual was repeated throughout the Orthodox world: in Georgia, newly-elected president Mikhail Saakashvili attended mass at the city's main cathedral. His former mentor, ousted leader Eduard Shevardnadze, was also there for the ceremony. The two once enjoyed a close relationship which has turned sour since Saakashvili led December's revolution which led to the former ruler's downfall. .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 6 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EU officials on alert over letter bombs
"A criminal conspiracy against democracy" - that was the President of the European Parliament Pat Cox's reaction to the latest letter bomb attacks against MEPs. He has warned all 626 members of the assembly to be vigilant. The Brussels office of Germany's Hans-Gert Poettering was slightly damaged in one incident. His secretary was lucky to escape unharmed when a package burst into flames as she opened it. Poettering said: "I was not here in the European parliament. I was at home in Lower Saxony in Germany and I'm very happy that this young lady was not injured." Another device exploded in Manchester office of British Labour MEP Gary Titley. Again, a staff member was fortunate not to have been hurt. Titley said: "Clearly, they need to look at their scanning procedure to make sure all mail is scanned. But we can't let these people drive a wedge between politicians and the electorate because if we do that, then democracy is undermined which is exactly what they want to achieve." There has been a spate of letter bomb incidents in recent days. Some of the packages were posted in Bologna and have been linked to an Italian anarchist group. Italy is to lead an international task force to crack down on the attacks. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Portuguese President blasts paedophile claims
Portuguese president Jorge Sampaio has gone on national television to denounce a newspaper, which linked him to a paedophile scandal. In its January 1st issue The Jornal de Noticias claimed Sampaio had been mentioned in two anonymous letters received by the judicial investigation into the case. Speaking out against the claims and how the paper reported them Sampaio said: "It's a crime that should be punished when the time is right. The head of state cannot legitimately let these offences pass." he said. "They have the most grave consequences for the respect and consideration that is due the president of the republic," he added. The front-page article gave few details about the letters, which also connected Portuguese European Commissioner Antonio Vitorino to the affair. It centres on allegations of sexual abuse at state-run homes for children. Last week, ten people were charged with sex abuse and other offences against young residents at the Casa Pia homes. A former government minister, an ex-diplomat and a television presenter are among those charged. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GEORGIA's new president promises radical changes
Radical reforms: that's what Georgia's newly-elected president Mikhail Saakashvili has vowed after his landslide victory in Sunday's presidential election. He is thought to have picked up more than 95 percent of the vote. The US-educated lawyer faces an uphill strugle to reshape his small nation plagued for years by corruption, separatism and poverty. He has made his goals clear: "In terms of values and core of the policy we should realise that Georgia is a European nation, it is much closer to Europe than many Europeans would think and we pride ourselves for being very old Europeans. Our main political line on European integration, our policy, is essentially pro-European, so basically we'll develop relations with the United States, with Russia, with other neighbours, but also keep our main line of being pro-European and going along the lines of European integration." Saakashvili has won praise for the election from the
OSCE, the European rights and democracy watchdog, which said it was
a "welcome contrast" to November's vote which sparked off
mass protest against ousted president Shevardnadze. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Egyptian jet's black box signal detected
French experts taking part in the search for the wreckage of the Egyptian charter plane which crashed into the Red Sea are reported to have detected a signal from one of its black boxes. Recovery of both the aircraft's flight recorders is vital to discovering the cause of the disaster, which killed 148 people, most of them French tourists. The Egyptian government has ruled out terrorism and French officials have rejected as not credible a claim by a previously unknown Islamic extremist group that it brought down the jet. France has sent around 500 military personnel to the scene to help their Egyptian counterparts with the recovery operation. The search is being hampered by the depth of the water and strong currents in the area where it is thought the plane came down. Meanwhile, Swiss aviation authorities have been giving more details about their decision to ban its operator Flash Airlines. A spokeswoman said of one plane examined in Switzerland: "The navigation charts were not correct. Security equipment was not up to date. The system for calculating fuel reserves didn't comply with international standards." The company has yet to respond to the latest comment from the Swiss officials. The Egyptian government has previously defended the safety record of Flash Airlines. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon has vowed to pursue unilateral steps to separate from the Palestinians if the US-backed road map for peace fails. Likud hardliners repeatedly interrupted his address to a party convention, furious both with the plan and Sharon's stated preference for a negotiated solution to the Middle East conflict. "It is clear - obvious that a future agreement will have to give up some of the Jewish settlements," he said, against a backdrop of signs saying "Sharon's plan is a trophy for terror". He said the Palestinians would get more territory if they halted violence and followed the road map. But he added that if the suicide bombings continued, Israel would act - with the United States - to bring what he described as full security, by politically and physically separating the country from the Palestinian territories. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ridge plan to defend America comes into force
From today if you are not a passport holder from the lucky few, some 27 countries who will not need to comply, new regulations governing entry to the USA come into force. It may mean longer delays when travelling, as most US visitors, an estimated 24 million this year, will now have to undergo photo and fingerprint tests at customs. US Homeland Security head Tom Ridge explains the crackdown is designed to keep America's borders open while ensuring maximum security for its citizens. It is costing a pretty penny, critics say the system
is far from fail-safe, and in two years time entry conditions will
tighten further with new biometric passports being required by all
visitors, incorporating DNA and iris data. Supporters say the checks
will only add about 15 seconds to each customs control, but there
are doubts the system will run as smoothly as that. Brunei, Singapore,
New Zealand, Australia and Japan , along with the EU nations, are
for the moment considered "safe" enough not to fingerprint
and photo. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NASA one step closer to possible life on Mars
The best photographs ever of Mars: that is how NASA scientists have described the first shots sent down by the Spirit explorer, which successfully landed on Mars over the weekend. In addition to the 3-D photos paraded before the press were the mission's first colour photos - scientists were eager to scour the pictures for clues in their hunt for signs of water, in other words, life, on Mars. These would in turn provide valuable insight into the evolution of life on earth. Spirit is the fourth probe ever to successfully land on the Red Planet. Its twin, the rover Opportunity, is due to land on the opposite side of Mars at the end of January. Together, they will roam its surface for three months in the search for signs of water and life by examining its rocks and soil. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Three Wise Men bring joy to Spain's kids
Hundreds of thousands of children across Spain have taken to the streets to watch the parade of the Three Wise Men. Every year at the start of January, Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar bring gifts to children as they did 2,000 years ago to the baby Jesus. Spanish children look forward to the morning of 6th January all year so they can open their presents. The night before they put their shoes outside in the hope they will find them full in the morning. Some also leave a bottle of wine and refreshments for the kings. It is also customary for the kings to throw sweets at the children from their floats - unfortunately, some do not always reach their target: this year alone in the capital Madrid, which features the largest parade, no less than 26 people were injured by rogue candy. .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 5 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Robot to search for black box at Red Sea crash site
The search is on for the black box of an Egyptian charter plane, which crashed into the Red Sea, killing everyone on board. Experts want to retrieve the flight recorders in the hope they will offer vital clues as to exactly what went wrong. Today, a robot submarine will plunge to depths of 1,000 metres. French divers and salvage experts are also helping to retrieve bodies and wreckage. The Flash Airlines Boeing 737 crashed soon after take off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport on Saturday killing 148 people. Most of the passengers were French, many returning to Paris after New Year breaks to the popular diving resort. Officials say the accident was caused entirely by technical problems but controversy surrounded the crash after it was revealed Flash airlines had been banned from flying to Switzerland after failing safety checks. An official from the company has insisted the real reason was because of a financial disagreement. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Crash victims mourned at Notre Dame in Paris
A memorial service for the victims of the Red Sea air disaster has been held at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Senior French figures attended, including the transport minister, the mayor of Paris and the prime minister's wife. Most of the passengers on board were French and whole families were wiped out in the tragedy. Many of the victims were children, some enjoying their first holiday abroad. The government has set up counselling centres across the country to help relatives cope with the trauma. Some will be flying out to Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Egypt aircrash plane banned from Swiss skies
It has emerged the Egyptian charter airline Flash Airlines whose Boeing 737 crashed into the Red Sea yesterday morning had been banned from Swiss airspace. The charter company belongs to Flash Tour, which claims to be one of the leading package holiday groups in Egypt. Its fleet includes several cruise boats, dozens of vehicles and two planes, one of which was the doomed Boeing. The company's website boasts of its safety and reliability. However, during an unannounced routine check at Zurich airport in October 2002, the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation (OFAC) reported serious failures. As a result, Flash airlines was banned from Swiss airspace. While she didn't specify what the problem was, a spokeswoman for OFAC added that if a company was banned it meant the problems were serious. The boss of the French tour operator FRAM which had 12 of its customers onboard the Flash Airlines plane said it was not aware of the ban. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Saakashvili claims title of GEORGIAn president
Georgian opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili has claimed a crushing victory in the weekend's presidential election. An independent exit poll showed he won nearly 86 percent of the vote. Saakashvili has pledged to build a new Georgia: "We are a pro-European party, pro-European political force. We are the force that opts for European integration and at the same time enjoys very close relations with the United States and wants to have very close relations with Russia - that's an absolute priority for us." Official results are not expected until later today, but it is a sure win for Saakashvili, whose closest challenger failed to win even one percent. But it is not going to be an easy job - corruption is widespread in the country, with the economy having suffered enormously since the collapse of communism. Saakashvili, a breath of fresh air for Georgia Youthful, passionate, US-educated and multilingual - Mikhail Saakashvili represents a new breed of politician in ex-Soviet Georgia. What is more, he is seen as a man of the people - something pro-Western figures in former communist states cannot take for granted. He studied in Ukraine and France before attending the elite Columbia University in the US and working for a New York law firm. He returned to Georgia and was groomed for power by the then President Eduard Shevardnadze, who appointed him justice minister in October 2000. But the outspoken firebrand fell out with the establishment over what he saw as rampant corruption and cronyism at its core. He resigned in 2002 and seized on last November's discredited parliamentary elections to make his mark nationally. Saakashvili powered a wave of protests that climaxed with the storming of parliament and Shevardnadze's resignation. That happened on St Mikhail's day, and Saakashvili believes the date brought him success. But he also shares a birthday with Josef Stalin, the Georgian-born Soviet dictator - Saakashvili must be hoping his luck will not run out. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AfghanAl Jazeera airs bin Laden tape
Osama bin Laden has reportedly urged Muslims to continue their holy war against America and has condemned Arab leaders who supported the US-led invasion of Iraq. The message came in a new audiotape, purported to contain the voice of the al Qaeda leader. Arabic television channel Al Jazeera aired the tape on Sunday, which also mentioned the arrest of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The voice will now be analysed, and if it is authentic, it means one of America's most wanted men is still alive. Bin Laden is accused by Washington of masterminding the September 11th terror attacks. The broadcast also criticised Middle East peace moves, in particular the US backed 'road-map'. American analysts said the recording appeared to be authentic. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Afghans finally agree on constitution
Afghanistan's Grand Assembly or Loya Jirga has passed a new constitution by consensus paving the way for the country's first democratic elections in years. After weeks of wrangling, the assembly chairman asked delegates to stand to show their approval. A majority did. The agreement ended three weeks of debate that highlighted Afghanistan's ethnic divisions and resulted in some compromise on the U.S.-inspired vision of a strong presidency. The role of Islam, women's rights and the political system in post-Taliban Afghanistan were also hotly disputed as the choice of Afghanistan's official language. It was finally decided Pashto, which is spoken by the country's largest ethnic group the Pashtuns, and Dari, spoken by the Tajiks, would be the two official tongues. Other languages will be recognised in areas where they are spoken by the majority. The country's first free elections in a quarter-century are scheduled for June. President Hamid Karzai is widely expected to win. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nasa probe touches down on Mars
The first pictures have just come through from Mars following the successful landing of the Nasa space probe, which touched down on the red planet after perilously parachuting onto its rocky surface. The initial images show little more than the ground around where the probe landed, but are historic nevertheless. With two out of three attempts to land spacecraft on Mars having failed, these pictures show the Nasa team in Pasadena, California that their probe made it through unscathed. Now scientists over the next three months will be able to get to work exploring a crater that may once have held a lake. The six-wheeled robot will examine rocks and search for water in the hunt for signs that the planet was once capable of supporting life. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 4 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Red Sea plane crash not linked to terror: Egypt
A tragic accident, but not an act of terrorism - Egypt's verdict on the plane crash in the Red Sea which killed all 148 people on board.French experts are expected in Sharm el-Sheikh today with special equipment to track down the black box flight recorder.Egyptian authorities are adamant there was no explosion on board - they say technical problems could account for the pilot's failure to signal the plane was in trouble. The charter plunged into the sea shortly after take off - it was heading for Cairo to refuel before flying on to Paris.Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Maher said: "This has nothing to do with terrorism but is related to a technical difficulty on the plane." Rescue workers have recovered several bodies, but the deep waters will make it hard to find the majority of the dead.Efforts have continued overnight. Many of the mainly French passengers were children and included one family of seven.1 05 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ French relatives in shock after air tragedy
France bore the brunt of the crash with 133 of its nationals on board. A list of passengers provided by the Egyptian charter Flash Airlines showed whole groups of people with the same family name. Many relatives had already heard the news when they arrived at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport.Officials took them to a crisis centre at a hotel for counselling and medical treatment.Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin rushed to the aiport to comfort relatives. "I am personally overwhelmed by this tragedy," he said. The government has asked prosecutors to open an inquiry for manslaughter which it says will provide a legal framework for French and Egyptian investigators to work together.Egypt says it has the know-how to find the cause of the crash, but has welcomed French involvement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Air crash shocks Sharm el-Sheikh
A sombre mood has descended on the cafes and streets of Sharm el-Sheikh, the glittering resort where millions of holidaymakers flock every year.Amr Abdel Samieh, a hotel worker, said: "It's always difficult to lose a friend. But most people can't imagine what it's like to lose 41 friends in one second."A tourist said:"It was a terrible accident and it was very scary to be near it. We actually saw a rescue plane today but we didn't know what it was." The disaster came at a popular period in the tourist season, with many escaping the European winter at new year. Lying at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula, the resort is a paradise for sun lovers and water sports enthusiasts. Tourism is the main source of Egypt's hard currency, and there are concerns this incident could tarnish its image. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Woman over 90 pulled out of rubble alive in Bam
An elderly woman has been pulled out of rubble alive - eight days after a powerful earthquake destroyed much of the Iranian city of Bam. "God kept me alive," claims Shahrbanou Mazandarani who is thought to be aged well over ninety. She was first located by sniffer dogs. No other survivors have been found in the devastated city since Thursday. Experts say it is extremely unlikely to survive even beyond three days without water. At least 30,000 people were killed when the earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale hit the region southeast of the capital Tehran on Boxing Day. Officials fear the death toll reach 50,000. About 90 percent of the ancient Silk Road city's mud-brick buildings collapsed in the quake which struck in the early hours killing many people in their sleep. Aid agencies are now concentrating on setting up camps around the city to house the hundreds of thousands left homeless. It is one of the world's worst natural disasters in decades. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Georgia gears up for presidential vote
Georgians are poised to elect a new president after the dramatic fall of veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze in November.The vote could mark a turning point for the troubled south Caucasus nation which has been wracked by civil war and economic decline since it gained independence from the Soviet Union.There is little doubt who the victor will be: Mikhail Saakashvili has been riding a wave of popularity since he led peaceful protests that toppled Shevardnadze.He has promised to bring prosperity and to continue Western-style reforms. If elected, he will have to tackle rampant corruption and poverty or see his approval ratings plummet.For now though the mood on the street is optmistic. "Ninety percent will vote for Saakashvili because he cares about people and thinks about people," one voter said.Another remarked: "Saakashvili is the only candidate who is free of the old Soviet mentality and thinks differently."However, the poll has been overshadowed by violence and a battle with breakaway regions over whether they will take part. 1.06" More than half of the around three million eligible voters, many who live in poverty, have to take part to make the poll valid - with a candidate requiring a simple majority in the first round to win. If nobody reaches this target, a runoff must be held between the two leading candidates within two weeks. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NASA probe lands on Mars
There was elation at NASA as its rover probe scored a bulls-eye touchdown on Mars. The 'Spirit' completed its landing sequence - the most dangerous part of the mission - coming to a complete stop from 19,000 kilometres an hour in just six minutes.It was, in the words of controllers, "six minutes of hell" - followed by sheer heaven. A series of tones told them the craft's parachute and landing airbags had deployed properly after its fiery descent throught the Martian atmosphere. The robot is the size of a golf buggy and is packed with nine cameras and instruments to take rock samples. It is hoped those will show whether water existed on the red planet - if it did, it may well have supported life. Mars is notorious for killing off missions and there is still no news from the British Beagle probe which was meant to land on Christmas day. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 3 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ More than 140 die in Egyptian plane crash
More than 140 people onboard an Egyptian passenger plane which crashed into the Red Sea are thought to have died. At least 127 of the passengers were French tourists. The boeing 737 was travelling from the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh heading to Paris via Cairo. It vanished minutes after take-off just before five o'clock local time this morning. There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash but an official source at the Civil Aviation Ministry said the plane appeared to have had an accident. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Updated:BA cancels flights to America and Saudi Arabia over terror fears
Terrorism fears have prompted delays and stringent checks on transatlantic flights. A British Airways plane landed in Washington after apparently picking up an escort of fighter aircraft as soon as it entered American airspace. Passengers were interrogated at length and the plane was searched by federal agents. An afternoon flight from London to Washington was cancelled on Friday for the second day in a row. And jitters mounted when BA called off a service from London to the Saudi capital Riyadh, scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Air France's grounding of three transatlantic flights over Christmas was a mistake based on information from the FBI. But French interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy warned against complacency, saying terrorism was a "cloud of international proportions" which warranted cooperation from the international community. Elsewhere, two Aeromexico flights to Los Angeles were cancelled this week and US security experts are scrutinising anti-terrorism measures at Mexico City airport. America has been on its second highest, Code Orange, alert since 21st December. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iran snubs US humanitarian offer
Tehran has turned down a proposed US humanitarian mission to Iran - led by an American senator. The news, announced by a US State Department spokesman, follows intense speculation about a thaw in relations between the two countries in the wake of the Bam earthquake. The spokesman said: "We have heard back today from the Iranians that given the current situation in Bam and all that is going on there now, it would be preferable to hold such a visit in abeyance. Therefore we are not pursuing it further at the moment." Friday prayers in Iran offered strong evidence that there is still a long way to go if these two sworn enemies are to come any closer. To chants of "Death to America!" one leading hardline cleric accused the United States of exploting the tragedy for political gain. Washington has been at the forefront of the aid operation in the devastated city of Bam - sending planeloads of supplies as well as medics and relief experts. They are helping survivors of the quake which may have killed up to 50,000 people. The US has also eased some sanctions against Iran in order to help the humanitarian effort. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Parmalat prompts Berlusconi calls for closer scrutiny of private sector
Italy's prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has said government checks and balances on private companies should be tightened in the light of the Parmalat affair. He said better controls were needed to avoid a repeat of the scandal. As efforts to untangle an alleged multi-billion euro web of fraud gathered pace, prosecutors questioned two former finance directors at the food group. Fausto Tonna and Luciano Del Soldato were grilled over allegations that they systematically falsified company accounts. Parmalat's former boss Calisto Tanzi is in jail in Milan. The 65-year-old suffers from heart problems and underwent a health check yesterday. He faces more questioning today. The spotlight is also falling on Parmalat's foreign
auditors. So far, Grant Thornton SPA - the Italian arm of the US global
auditing giant - has taken most of the flack for signing off suspect
accounts. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ French factory closed amid deadly epidemic
An outbreak of the deadly Legionnaire's Disease has prompted the closure of a petrochemicals factory in northern France. Tests have shown Noroxo, part of the world's biggest oil company Exxon Mobil,was the primary source of contamination. Noroxo directors have said they don't agree with the administrators' decision to suspend production at the factory. They have urged further efforts to uncover how the contamination arose. The factory was closed in December for a major clean-up after high levels of legionella bacteria that cause the disease were detected. Six people have died and more than 50 others have been affected by the disease near the town of Lens, where Health Minister Jean-Francois Mattei has been visiting patients. The mayor of Lens has accused the government of reacting too slowly to the epidemic and has urged Paris to make more money available to tackle it. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Deadly blast at Argentine shop
At least three people have been killed in Argentina when a shop exploded. It is thought to have been illegally selling fireworks for New Year parties. It is not clear what set off the blast, but the local mayor indicated there was a smell of fireworks. The explosion damaged nearby shops in downtown Florencio Varela, a suburb of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Around 15 people were taken to hospital. Five are reported to be seriously hurt. Police in Argentina find illegal fireworks factories every year, often with poor or nonexistent safety precautions. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NASA spacecraft scoops comet dust during wild ride
Mission accomplished - the NASA probe Stardust has completed a risky encounter with a comet 389 million kilometres from earth. Controllers in Pasadena, California, were delighted when the spacecraft - which is the size of a bookcase - performed perfectly during the intense eight-minute hailstorm. The probe passed just 230 kilometres from the mountainous ball of rock, ice and dust. It snapped pictures of the comet's nucleus and scooped up particles of dust which will be the first such samples to be analysed on earth. A capsule carrying them should separate from the probe and land in the US next January, while the craft continues its adventure in space. Scientists are hoping the samples will shed light on
the early history of the solar system. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 2 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bam - one week on
A week after the Bam earthquake it is still impossible to tell exactly how many lives have been lost. But amazingly three people, including a pregnant woman,were pulled alive from the rubble yesterday. A tent city is rising from the destruction - rescue workers from around the world are doing their best to try and provide some shelter for the 40,000 or so survivors still here. They are also supervising the distribution of supplies of food and clothing. Most locals lost everything in the quake. The latest political figure to visit Bam has been former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He spoke of the hopes of a thaw in relations between Washington and Tehran in the wake of the disaster. But American president George W Bush played down any hopes of a long-term improvement. "The Iranian government must listen to the voices of those who long for freedom, must turn over Al Qaeda that are in their custody and must abandon their nuclear weapons programme," he commented. Tehran denies it has Al Qaeda suspects behind bars and
has said United Nations nuclear weapons experts can carry out snap
inspections on suspect sites. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Terror jitters hit flights to US
Terrorism fears have prompted the cancellation of a British Airways flight from London to Washington. It is not clear if there was a specific threat, but both countries have raised their alert levels amid concerns of a September 11-style attack over the holiday period. The same flight was grounded for several hours at Washington's Dulles International Airport on Wednesday. Federal agents questioned passengers but made no arrests. In other developments, an Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles was cancelled for security reasons. The Mexican capital's airport is on its second highest alert and undercover police have been placed on flights to key US cities. Meanwhile Brasil has begun fingerprinting visitors from America in response to US checks on Brasilians. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iraq: Tight security in Baghdad amid fears of attacks
There was a jittery atmosphere on the streets of Baghdad on the first night of 2004. US-led forces increased patrols over fears that insurgents could strike again after the devastating attack on New Year's eve. Iraqi police set up check points and sealed off several roads. Around eight people were killed and over 30 injured when a bomb devastated the popular Nabil restaurant on December 31. The blast has scared off clients at other upmarket restaurants in the capital - most of them were empty and many were guarded by armed men. Some owners have indicated they might stop selling wine and liquor to reduce the number of foreigners coming in and avoid attracting the attention of insurgents. Meanwhile American forces raided homes in Baquba, north of Baghdad. The troops came under fire from a wooded area during the operation. They arrested several members of a suspected militant cell blamed for anti-US attacks. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conciliation a key note for Irish EU Presidency
The European flag has been raised officially in Dublin, as Ireland takes up the presidency of the European Union for the next six months. Dublin will oversee the historic enlargement of the bloc in May, from 15 to 25 countries. The Irish presidency will also cover the period of the European Parliament elections in June. After the EU's constitutional project ground to a halt during the much-criticised Italian presidency, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern - the prime minister - is not optimistic about making swift progress. "The desire to build consensus will be our motivating force. We will build on the good work of the Italian presidency. I cannot promise success but we will work hard to get it." Fellow Irishman Pat Cox, the president of the European Parliament, spoke of Ahern's experience and skill as a conciliator. "It is not only in his hands, it requires a change in the will of leaders across Europe to bring more European spirit to the bargaining table - as well as the national interest which they come to represent." That is about seeking a compromise on member countries' voting powers. Ireland has identified partnership with the United States as a key dimension for its presidency, in security and trade. Other priorities are boosting economic growth and creating jobs across the EU. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Government help for New Year resolution
New Year is synonymous with resolutions and across Europe governments are trying to encourage smokers to make theirs to quit the habit. A new campaign has been launched in the UK highlighting the dangers of tobacco. It shows the amount of fatty despoits that clog up arteries as a result of smoking. The build-up of such deposits can lead to angina or sudden heart attaks. The French government is attacking the problem in two ways. On January 5 the price of a packet will rise from an average of 4.5 euros to 5 euros. This follows a 20 per cent hike in October. The result then was an immediate significant drop in the number of smokers. And the health ministry has revamped an old advert alerting people to some of the lesser-known ingredients in a cigarette - mercury, acetone and ammonia. In the Netherlands an estimated 800,000 people have pledged to quit for the New Year. The government is giving them a helping hand. A new law came into force yesterday banning smoking in the workplace, on public transport and in communal places such as stairwells and public toilets. However, smoking in bars and restaurants is still allowed. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated: 1 January, 2004 .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Europe ignores terror warnings to see in the New Year
Europe has been seeing in the New Year with as much gusto as ever, despite warnings of possible terrorist attacks. The biggest danger for the 800,000 gathered at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate came from the fire crackers revellers brought with them. They were not needed anyway, given the spectacular display laid on by German authorities. Around 450,000 filled the streets of Paris - and in particular the Champs Elysee - as France celebrated the arrival of the new year in traditional style. In Berlin, where 2,000 members of the security forces kept an eye on the crowds, there was a strong police presence, but the night passed off without serious incident. In Madrid, there is only one place to see in the new year - the Puerta del Sol. Once again, there was no sign of people staying away. Spaniards are supposed to eat a grape for every chime of the clock at midnight - usually washed down with a little champagne. .------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iraq: New Year cheer turns to tragedy in Baghdad
It was supposed to be an attempt by some Iraqis to forget their country'stroubles for the night and celebrate the new year. Just a few hours before midnight, however, that all came to an abrupt halt. A car bomb attack on a popular Baghdad restaurant full of New Year revellers left at least five Iraqis dead and some 20 wounded. This is the nation where the first ever New Year was celebrated 4,000 years ago and many had hoped for a joyous start to 2004. Among those injured in the attack were three US newspaper journalists. The evening had begun promisingly. Baghdad's few liquor stores were doing a roaring trade, and young people took to the streets to celebrate. The bomb attack was not far away, however, a sober reminder
that it will not be easy to restore stability to the country.
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