1 July 2002

Biagi controversy continues in Italy

The Italian Prime Minster has refused to accept the resignation of his Interior Minister Claudio Scajola. It follows a media furore surrounding his handling of the inquiry into the murder in March of government advisor Marco Biagi. He has been widely criticised for an interview which has been published in two national newspapers in which he describes Biagi as a rompicoglione - an expression meaning a "pain in the arse." He added that Biagi was motivated by trying to get his contract renewed. Marco Biagi who had helped draw up controversial work reforms for the Employment Ministry was assassinated outside his home in Bologna in the north of Italy just after the government had stopped providing him with a police escort. The notorious Red Brigades claimed responsibility, but no-one has ever been caught. Last week an Italian newspaper published e-mails sent by Biagi to the authorities in which he pleads for more protection following death threats. In one letter he accused a union leader of making him a target for potential assassination by constantly criticising him. The Interior Minister Scajola who has now become embroiled in the controversy will have to explain himself to parliament probably on Monday.

Italian brothers scoop top prize in Moscow Film Festival

Reviving a classic proved to be a successful formula for directors Vittorio and Paolo Taviani. The Italian brothers' version of Leo Tolstoy's "Resurection" claimed top prize at the Moscow Film Festival. The festival, now in its twenty-fourth year, is regarded as one of Europe's most prestigious. More than 200 films were screened over the nine days of the event, which included entries from as far afield as Iran and Brazil. Finland's Ville Haapasalo won the best actor award for his role in the film "Kukushka". The prize for best actress went to Mikako Ichikawa of Japan for performance in "The Blue Skies".

UN and US at loggerheads over new court

The new International War Crimes court in The Hague came into being today and is already the focus of a tense diplomatic struggle between the United States and the United Nations. Its mere existence is controversial. On Sunday the US vetoed plans to extend the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia after a clash with the UN Security Council over the creation of the court. The US has long argued against it. Washington is concerned its peacekeepers could be forced to face trial from politically motivated prosecutors. The US says it will continue to stand against the UN mission until US peacekeepers are given immunity from trial. The UN argues those fears are unfounded as the court would only get involved if a country did not prosecute its own citizens. For now the UN mission in Bosnia hangs in limbo. The mission has been extended until midnight on Wednesday- time the US says for the UN to arrange it to be shut down or the responsibility to be handed over to the European Union.

Euro cross border payments harmonised

For people from the eurozone going on holidays within the zone, there is some good news- cross border bank payments are harmonised as from today. Any card payment or withdrawal in euro made in any of the EU member states that have embraced the new currency will now hold the same charge as it would in the country where someone's account is held. In general the move has been welcomed. One French woman said, "It's encouraging", we are all travelling around Europe more and more, this will make things easier". For credit transfers charges must be the same as well, whether they are national or cross border. From today it will be more difficult to get old currency changed into euro though. Whereas all banks offered the service before, now only National banks of Eurozone countries will be able to do it. The development coincides with a survey of French people, which shows that most still think in Francs and not euro.

Brazil takes home World Cup after beating Germany 2-0.

Brazil has become one huge party of sun, sweat and samba in honour of the country's World Cup heroes. It is the fifth time Brazil has won the competition and the seventeenth time the team has made it to the finals. Striker Ronaldo's two goals gave him a tournament total of eight, making him the top scorer in this year's competition. And this victory was a match for those of 1958, 1962, 1970 and 1994. It has certainly set the country alight, at an important time. Brasil is experiencing serious economic problems and this victory will be a welcome boost to the South American nation. For Brazilian supporters the joy now comes from knowing they have the best football team in the world.

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2 July 2002

Scajola says sorry for "offensive" remarks

Italy's Interior Minister Claudio Scajola has publicly apologised for calling a government aide murdered by left-wing guerrillas "a pain in the arse". The comments have landed the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in fresh controversy. Scajola said at a news conference: "My words, taken out of context and exaggerated, have offended (Biaggi's) family. For this I ask their pardon." Italian media and the opposition have heaped scorn on Berlusconi for refusing to accept Scajola's resignation, which he tendered on Sunday. An advisor to the Employment Ministry, Marco Biagi was shot dead outside his home in Bologna in March. The Red Brigades, the notorious leftist guerrilla group which terrorised Italy during the late 1970s and the 1980s, claimed responsibility for the assassination. It said it killed Biagi because he was helping to prepare laws to make it easier for employers to sack people, but no-one has ever been caught. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is due to address parliament on Wednesday over his Interior Minister's comments and his own decision to stand by Scajola.

Two planes collide in Germany killing scores of people

More than seventy people are feared dead following a a devastating mid-air collision involving two large planes near the German Swiss border next to Lake Constance. Many are believed to be children. The planes were flying at around 12 thousand metres when they crossed paths. Part of the wreckage hit the ground on a road close to the lake, but debris has been scattered over a 30 kilometre area, some of it falling in nearby towns. A school and several houses were set on fire. Police have found two bodies so far, but no one is expecting to find survivors. The army has been brought in to help in the search for bodies and plane parts. One of the aircrafts was a passenger plane carrying around 70 people, the other was a cargo plane with just two people on board. It ended up in Lake Constance. Although the accident happened over German territory, Swiss air traffic control is in charge of air movement in the area. The passenger plane was a Tupolev 154. It had come from the Urals in Russia, via Moscow and Munich. It was on its way to Barcelona. The other craft was a Boeing 757 cargo plane carrying just two people. It had come from Bahrain via Italy and was on route to Brussels.

120 Afghan civilians reported killed or wounded in U.S. attack

U.S. war planes are reported to have either killed or wounded at least 120 civilians in a botched bombing raid in Afghanistan. The victims were attending a wedding party in a village near of Uruzgan, northeast of the city of Kandahar. The Pentagon said at least one bomb dropped by the B52 plans in the area missed their intended target. But it could not could not confirm the reports of casualties made by local residents. A spokesman said the strike happened after the planes were fired on. The US launched air strikes in Afghanistan last year against the al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden and the group's Taliban protectors, in response to the September 11th attacks The claim by the residents was the latest in a series of incidents in which several Western troops and dozens of Afghan civilians have been reported killed by "friendly fire" in the war there.

Difficult debates for Israel's Labour party Israel's centre-left

Labour Party, which is a coalition partner of Ariel Sharon's government, has some important questions to address during its annual conference this week. Will it set a peacemaking agenda with the Palestinians, and what is its future with Sharon's right wing government.? At the conference opening yesterday the party leader who is also Sharon's Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer rejected demands from dovish members to end the partnership Ben-Eliezer said quitting the government would lead to the immediate halting of the separation fence Israel is building; a 350-kilometre barrier along the border with the West Bank designed to keep suicide bombers out. He said this was necessary, and as a result some settlers on the other side of the wall would have to in the long term leave.

Danes take EU helm with Viking determination

Denmark has taken over from Spain as the European Union's presiding nation; it is now responsible for steering through one of the most crucial periods in the bloc's history. European Commissioners will work hand in hand with Copenhagen for the next six months, to ensure successful expansion of the EU in 2004. Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen is resolute about sticking to the planning calendar, to wrap up negotiations with enlargement candidates by December, when leaders will decide which to accept as new members. "Finalisation of the negotiations in 2002 is a historic opportunity for Europe, a unique chance to take advantage of this window of opportunity - We must succeed." Rasmussen has asked partners for a degree of flexibility to attain this. He prefers to look on the last remaining obstacles to enlargement not as problems, but as challenges.

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7 July 2002

NATO hopefuls quietly confident

Representatives of Eastern European states hoping to join NATO have expressed optimism that an invitation could be on the way. The upbeat mood was in evidence at the close of a two day conference in the Latvian capital, Riga. Candidate countries will not know for sure if they have been accepted, however, until NATO's decision is announced at a summit in Prague in November. And via video link, Czech President Vaclav Havel extended an early welcome to those hoping to hear good news. With Latvia's Eurovision Song Contest winner on hand to provide the entertainment, delegates relaxed after hours of tough talking on how best to live up to NATO entry conditions. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are among the front-runners expected to fit the bill, alongside Slovenia, Bulgaria and Romania.

Afghan vice president gunned down

One of Afghanistan's three vice presidents is dead after being assassinated by unknown gunmen. It is a major hurdle for the country's fledgling administration to over come. Haji Abdul Qadir's car was riddled with 36 bullets. Both he and his driver died instantly. Two passengers in the back were injured. Ten guards, who had been appointed by Qadir's predecessor, have been arrested. There was speculation the killing could have been carried out by remnants of the Taliban, who viewed Qadir as a betrayer of their Pashtune ethnic group. The veteran warlord from eastern Afghanistan, played a leading role in the downfall of the regime last year. The assassination follows an attempt on the life of the country's interim defence minister in April. While last February, the civil aviation minister was killed in controversial circumstances in which other government ministers were implicated. The deaths illustrate the problems facing president Hamid Kazai- just weeks after the appointment of a cabinet to lead the country out of twenty-three years of war and prepare for elections in 18 months time.

US promises formal probe into Afghan deaths

The United States says its policy is not to target civilians, nevertheless, over forty-eight dead and 117 injured, when American bombers hit a wedding party in Afghanistan on Monday. US general Dan McNeil's promised a full inquiry. A joint US Afghan team has already paid a visit to the site, however their findings over the number of casualties were inconclusive, as the dead had already been buried. The compound was reportedly targeted when American planes came under anti-aircraft fire. However villagers in the rugged central province said they were merely firing rifles into the air to celebrate a wedding party, in line with local traditions. A full investigation has been promised to determine exactly what went wrong. The incident has become a public relations disaster for the United States in its continuing effort to flush out al-Qaeda and Taliban forces. However it has also put the Afghan president Hamid Kazai under pressure. Keen to stand side by side with the United States, he needs to convince sceptical Afghans for the continued need of an American military presence.

Palestinian Security Chiefs oppose Arafat appointment

Over a hundred Palestinian commanders on Saturday protested against Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's appointment of a new West Bank Preventive Security Chief. Zuhair Manasra has been chosen to replace Jibril Rajoub. At a meeting in Ramallah, officials rejected the move calling on Rajoub to remain, or for someone already in the West Bank Security ranks to take his place. Rajoub, who's is regarded as a possible successor to Arafat, confirmed his dismissal yesterday. The head of Preventive Security in the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Dahlan, has also been removed from his post. Arafat reportedly intends to streamline the Palestinian Authority's nine Security services into just four forces under a new Interior Ministry. However the fierce opposition will add to pressure on Arafat who already faces intense calls for reform the United States.

Two-year-old baby becomes latest victim of the Middle East conflict

Hundreds of mourners have attended the funerals of a two-year-old Palestinian girl and her mother in the Gaza Strip. Both are thought to have been shot dead by Israeli forces near the Jewish settlement of Netzarim. Israel has not confirmed its soldiers were involved. But that has not stopped a war of words breaking out between the two sides. The Palestinian Information Minister described the deaths as "proof" that Israeli forces have been given permission to shoot and kill. As tension rises across the region, the military is continuing its clampdown in seven Palestinian cities. In Jenin troops and tanks have surrounded a hospital where two militants are said to be hiding. In a raid on the building, doctors were ordered onto the streets where their identification papers were checked. In a further blow to any hopes for peace in the near future the Israeli Army chief told an newspaper his forces were likely to remain in the territories for several more months.

Skyguide telephones cut before crash

Swiss Air Traffic Controllers are coming under increasing pressure as investigators reveal more details about a mid-air crash over Germany. The controller's agency, Skyguide, has admitted that their anti-collision alarm was turned off at the time of the accident and it now seems their telephone lines were also cut. The controller in Zürich was apparently trying to make a call to the German airport of Friedrichshafen where a third plane was landing and may not have been aware that the Bashkirian Airlines flight and the cargo craft where on the same flight path. His colleague is said to have been taking a coffee break. The investigators also suggest the pilot of the Tupolev jet was warned just 44 seconds before the disaster. It is thought he reacted after a second warning from Zürich 14 seconds later but by then the Boeing had also begun to dive. The accident killed 71 people, most of them Russian children. In the fields where the planes came down recovery teams are still looking for bodies.

"Chupinazo" opens San Fermin festival

Tens of thousands of revellers packed the central square of Pamplona in Spain Saturday for the "chupinazo" or the firing of a rocket, which marks the beginning of the San Fermin festival. This year's nine day event however got off to a controversial start. A member of the Socialist party lit the fuse instead of a representative of Batasuna, the political wing of the Basque seperatists ETA. Each year local parties take it in turn to open the celebrations but today Batasuna was kept away. In Madrid the government is attempting to outlaw it for alleged links to terrorism. Political scandals seemed to be the last thing on anybody's mind as the whole city enjoyed the festivities and looked forward to the famous bull runs, which begin tomorrow

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13 July 2002

Funerals for Russian air crash victims

Russia has been paying its respects to the victims of a mid-air collision as grieving families continue to wonder why their loved ones had to die. Funeral services have been held, with emotions running high. Parents' grief is mixed with anger over the loss of their children. 71 people, most of them youngsters, died when a cargo plane and a Russian charter jet collided over the German-Swiss border. Many in Russia are convinced that Swiss air traffic controllers were at fault. Switzerland's president stayed away from Saturday's memorial service to prevent bereaved parents' anger boiling over, according to the Russian authorities. When relatives last saw their children they had been waving them off on a dream holiday. Now, their lives torn apart, they issued a statement via the Prime Minister of Bashkortostan, home region to most of the victims, thanking the German authorities and the German people for all they had done following the crash. The investigation into the tragedy, meanwhile, continues, with Switzerland now acknowledging that mistakes were made in handling the aftermath of the incident when officials were quick to pin the blame on the Russian pilot.

Jail demand for L.A. cop accused of beating

Hundreds of angry protesters gathered in Los Angeles to call for a white police officer, caught on camera beating a black teenager, to be fired, arrested and put behind bars. Outrage is growing over the latest accusation of police brutality in a city already scarred by the notorious videotaped beating of Rodney King in 1991 and the rioting that followed. This time round, it is police treatment of 16-year-old Donovan Jackson that has shocked the United States. Video pictures show officer Jeremy Morse slamming the handcuffed youth against a patrol car and punching him in the face. Morse claims that just before the pictures were filmed, the teenager had himself become violent. The policeman has been suspended on full pay while the incident is investigated.

Airport protest by Mexican farmers

Peasant farmers in Mexico are making a stand, by holding hostages in protest at government plans to build a new airport on their land. It follows clashes with the authorities that left dozens injured. At least one police officer was attacked with a machete. The farmers' anger has been building up since last October, when the government first announced that it would be buying up massive swathes of land near Mexico City in order to build the capital's new international airport. Compensation has been offered but the farmers say they will not sell their land at any price. Some have vowed to kill the hostages, who include local government officials, if their demands are not met. But the protest leader, David Pajaro, who has said the detainees will not be harmed, has played down such threats. On day three of the stand-off, though, tension is mounting, with Molotov cocktails among the armoury of the farmers who say that they will carry on with their protest come what may.

13 July 2002

International Criminal Court exemptions

The UN Security Council has voted to protect Americans from prosecution by the International Criminal Court.A different outcome could have seen the US withdraw from international peacekeeping operations.US Ambasador, John Negroponte, said the links to the Criminal Court were critical, noting that... "some members of the council are members of the International Criminal Court, while others, including the United States, are not and never will be." The United States has refused to ratify the establishment of the International Criminal Court and consequently objected to having its citizens investigated by it. The Security Council decision means that nationals accused of war crimes, from a country that does not support the court, will enjoy a 12 month immunity period from investigation or prosecution. However, in practice, that 12 month immunity is likely to be renewed on an annual basis.

Morocco occupies Spanish island

The EU has warned Morocco that its occupation of a Spanish island could damage EU-Moroccan relations and has urged a swift resolution of the issue. Moroccan soldiers landed on Perejil island, near the Spanish territory of Ceuta, on Thursday, apparently to set up an observation post to counter smuggling. Spain responded by sending patrol boats to the area, but the stakes were raised when a Moroccan gunboat was sighted close to other Spanish controlled islands. Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister, Ana Palacio, said she hoped that Morocco would understand that its action ran contrary to current treaties of cooperation and friendship. She added that she hoped for good news soon. Spain has been reinforcing its military posts in the area.Morocco's Foreign Ministry claims that Perejil, which is closer to a large rock than an island, was liberated from Spain in 1956.

Northern Ireland clashes

Police in Northern Ireland struggled to contain hundreds of Catholic rioters in Belfast, as two Protestant parades marked the climax of the controversial "Orange Order" marching season. Although 20 police officers were injured in the clashes, Belfast's police chief praised IRA guerrilla leaders for marshalling Catholic demonstrators and preventing further violence. But there were exchanges of plastic bullets and petrol bombs on west Belfast's Springfield Road, which is wedged between the militantly Catholic, Falls Road and the stridently Protestant, Shankhill Road. There was also trouble in the Ardoyne district, location of a recent bitter Protestant blockade of the Catholic Holy Cross girls school.Although the Protestant bands fell silent, as they marched past Catholic estates, missiles and abuse were hurled by Catholics, held back behind police lines - and there were sporadic scuffles.

Mandela and Clinton call for AIDS action

Two former presidents have joined together in the war against AIDS. To a rapturous reception, Nelson Mandela and Bill Clinton took to the stage in Barcelona at the close of the world's biggest conference on the disease. Both have pledged their commitment in the fight against AIDS, with the former South African leader calling for an end to the stigma of HIV, which afflicts millions on his home continent. He also described AIDS as a "war against humanity." His appearance, side by side with the ex-U.S. president, rounded off a week of talks dominated by demands for more funds to treat millions of sufferers in the developing world. The conference has focussed, at length, on the gulf between rich and poor when it comes to AIDS treatment. The sophisticated drugs that have turned HIV infection into a manageable condition in the West reach only one in a thousand in Africa, the epicentre of the crisis.

UK and Spain agree to share Gibraltar

It is official. Britain and Spain have agreed to share sovereignty of Gibraltar, though the British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says the final say will remain with those living on the rock. It follows 12 months of talks between London and Madrid aimed at ending once and for all a dispute over sovereignty that has lasted for nearly 300 years. Jack Straw told Britain's Parliament that a comprehensive and permanent settlement is the only way of achieving a stable and prosperous future for Gibraltar, at the southern tip of Spain. But shared sovereignty will not be easy to introduce, with strong opposition on the rock to any plans for Britian to give up total control.

Facing his first day on trial

Bosnian Serb ex-paramilitary Radovan Stankovic has refused to enter a plea as he faces charges of enslaving and raping Muslim women in the Bosnian war. Instead a judge entered a plea of not guilty for the thirty three year old. Earlier Stankovic declared to the court he was already guilty simply because he was a Serb and he'd defended his people. He was arrested by Nato troops in Bosnia on Tuesday and rushed to the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Prosecutors accuse Stankovic of organising and directing a brutal regime at a house in the Bosnian town of Foca. They allege he and other Serb soldiers raped, enslaved and tortured women and girls as young as twelve.

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18 July 2002

Israel's defensive shield fails to foil suicide bombing

Five people including two suicide bombers have been killed in a Palestinian bomb attack in Tel-Aviv. Standing just 15 metres apart, the two Palestinians with explosives strapped to their bodies detonated one after the other just outside a kiosk selling drinks and cigarettes. It was a place where foreign workers are known to gather in the district of Neve Shaanab where thousands of labourers from Africa Aisa and eastern Europe live. At least one of those killed was a foreigner Israeli government spokesman Raanan Gissin gave this reaction .. "If the current leadership is incapable of stopping suicide bombings then it behoves the Palestinian people to change that leadership so that we can really engage in a process that will lead eventually to a political agreement." The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad claim responsibility for the blasts in a telephone call. The incident was a blow to Israeli Security forces who hoped their reoccupation of seven of the eight Palestinian cities in the West Bank might bring an end to such attacks. The Palestinian authorities are saying this shows they are not the only ones unable to prevent bombings. Israeli is not managing to stop them either. Israel's Defence Ministry has said that as a result it will freeze measures aimed at easing the hardship of Palestinian civilians.

Morocco writes to UN over Spain's counter-occupation of island

While a group of Moroccans on the mainland have been expressing their anger at Spain's occupation of the disputed island of Perejil or Leila their government puts its complaint down in writing. In a letter to the UN Security Council Morocco claims that the counter-move by Spain to send in troops to take over the island was "ill-considered and dangerous" for security in the area. It also demands the immediate withdrawal of the Spanish troops. The Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio spoke yesterday to her Moroccan counterpart. She said she told him that Spain did not want to stay on the island, "it just wanted a return to the status quo." The status quo she refers to is as follows. Until last week neither Spain nor Morocco had laid claim to the island off the Moroccan coast, which is close to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The row broke out after 12 Moroccan soldiers were spotted on the island having put up a Moroccan flag. Spain asked them to leave and when they failed to do so, brought in its own men and drove the Moroccans out.

Greek police catch suspected Nov 17 guerrilla boss

The days are numbered for November 17. That is what the Greek authorities are claiming after yet another breakthrough against the terrorist group. A huge haul of weapons was recovered earlier this week in two separate raids, and now the groups suspected leader and founding member has been arrested. It comes after the British government put Greece under increased pressure to crack down on the organisation following the murder in June 2000 of military attaché Stephen Saunders. One of the guns recovered in the haul has been identified as the weapon, which killed him. Saunders was gunned down by two men on a motorbike, as he drove to work in Athens. Police made their breakthroughs following the arrest last month of November 17 member Savvas Xiros. He was injured in a botched bombing attempt. He was the first member of the group ever to be caught. November 17 is named after the 1973 anniversary of a bloody student uprising during Greece's 1967-1974 military rule. The radical leftist organisations killed 23 people since 1975. The authorities are hoping with the success of their crackdown, there will not be any more.

Switzerland applies formally for UN membership

After months of debate and a referendum on the issue, Switzerland has formally applied for membership of the United Nations. Emphasising his country's neutrality the Swiss UN Observer Jeno Staehelin handed a thick sheaf of documents and a letter signed by the Swiss President Kaspar Villiger. No date has yet been set for the application, which will have to be approved by the 15-member Security council and the 189 member General Assembly. But the thumbs up is considered a forgone conclusion. Switzerland voted on the move in a referendum earlier this year. 55 per cent of people voted for, forty four per cent against. The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan congratulated the Swiss people and the government on what he said was a "wonderful and wise decision."

Summer of strikes in UK?

ù It was a welcome day off school for many pupils in Britain, but a nightmare for the government. One million public sector workers went on strike sending a clear message to the Labour party, that their pay offer is miserly. The dispute is reminiscent of several which brought down the last Labour government, 20 years ago. However John Edmonds from the GMB General Workers Union threatened that this was just the beginning. Cuts in union donations are already causing the Labour party massive financial problems. Now there are threats that if demands are not met funding will be cut further. It looks like the British government may have a hot summer ahead.

Gay marriages do not go against law says Germany's highest court

Germany's Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint by the Conservatives which claimed recognising gay and lesbian marriages upset family values. The move is part of the Conservatives' bid to project themselves as the guardians of the traditional family ahead of September's general election. They are ahead in the polls, but their lead is largely seen as a reaction to high unemployment rather than a moral one. Under the law which was passed last August, there have been an estimated 4,500gay marriages in Germany. Lesbians and gays who register their relationships have the same rights as heterosexuals except for tax advantages and adoption rights. Similar laws have already been passed in several Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, France and Portugal.

Mandela celebrates 84th birthday

The former South Africa President Nelson Mandela celebrates his 84th birthday today. Despite his years the revered statesman still keeps a busy schedule at home and abroad .. one that might exhaust many men half his age. The man who spent 27 years in apartheid jails and guided his country through bloodshed and turmoil to democracy in 1994 has barely slowed down since he retired three years ago. In the past his birthdays have been celebrated in some style. This year he is planning a low-key celebration in London. Named President of South Africa in 1994 Mandela is now working on a follow up to the bestseller about his life "Long Walk to freedom". He continues to preach reconciliation in a country where the scars of racial segregation are still raw.

Baywatch star reveals all to the French about eating meat

Baywatch star Tracy Bingham sported a bikini made of salad leaves today in Paris to protest about the treatment of animals raised for food. The American actress was there on behalf of the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which is encouraging people to become vegetarian. Bingham chose the largest butcher's shop in the French capital as a backdrop for her stunt. She certainly made an impression, but maybe not on the eating habits of the notoriously carnivorous French. But she remained defiant: "I've been a vegetarian for ten years and I will continue to be a vegetarian. And it's so important to realise what is going on your plate when you eat it. You go to butchers' shops like this and it is horrible what humans are doing to animals. It's cruel, unethical and wrong." For a man who'd just been through a verbal roasting, the butcher seemed to be taking it all in good heart.

When science fiction meets reality

A US technician has invented a new weapon which doesn't fire bullets but sound. The device emits so-called "sonic bullets" at frequencies of up to 145 decibels or 50 times the human threshold of pain. Police could used it to subdue suspects or quell riots without harming bystanders as the sound is directional. Woody Norris, CEO of the American Technology Corporation: "Tear gas lingers long after you have fired off the canisters. This - you switch off and it's gone. And the damage is only temporary." The army has already ordered its own version of the non-lethal weapon. It is hoping it could force terrorists out of hiding. The device is also being envisaged for commercial use: Norris has invented a related acoustic device called the Hypersonic Sound System. It was requested by a soda company to inspire people within earshot of a vending machine to quench their first. Other potential commercial uses include shooing away pesky birds to directing television sound so it doesn't annoy others.

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22 July 2002

Market fears as WorldCom goes bankrupt

Telecoms giant WorldCom has confirmed it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States - the largest insolvency in the country's history. The firm, charged with fraud after admitting hiding over a billion euro in losses, says it will keep operating and undergo a rigorous restructuring process. The news leaves stock markets worldwide braced for another fall. On Friday the Dow Jones industrial average fell to its lowest point for four years. But on Sunday night NYSE chairman Richard Grasso was still positive, "Mondays following Friday declines have always been difficult and I suspect tomorrow will be no different. But again, you've got to look beyond what happens tomorrow". Such optimism is not shared by many investors. First Enron, then Global Crossing and now WorldCom have crumbled before their eyes- high flying stocks crushed by a series of accounting scandals that rocked corporate America.

Investigations into deadly Italian rail crash centres around ballast

The Italian island of Sicily is still trying to come to terms with yesterday'shorrific train crash that killed eight people. In the country's worst rail accident in over twenty years, the train came off the tracks close to the town of Messina. Among the dead are four members of a family of Moroccan origin and the driver. It's still not clear what caused the derailment. Three inquiries have begun with an initial investigation into the ballast under the track which may have given way. Opposition parties however have slammed what they see as neglect of the poorer south's ageing rail system.

Spain and Marocco plan talks

The soldiers may have left the disputed island of Perejil, but the conflict that brought them there remains. Moroccans have contined to celebrate Spanish troops' withdrawal from the rocky outcrop even as foreign ministers from both countries are preparing to meet in Rabat. It will be a heavily symbolic event. A long list of issues divides them, and the appearance of Moroccan troops on Perejil 11 days ago brought them to a head. One key debate is the future of nearby Ceuta and Melilla. Madrid has boosted its military presence in the two north African enclaves in recent days. Rabat has its eyes on them, but the Spanish government says its rule there is not up for negotiation. Other sticking points include fishing rights, illegal immigration and drugs trafficking. None will be settled in today's meeting - but both parties do expect to establish a more positive dialogue.

Families of Israeli leaders threatened by militants

Palestinian militants believed to be behind a string of suicide attacks have warned they could strike the families of senior Israeli officials. The threat by the Al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade is in response to plans by the Israeli government to deport the relatives of those suspected of involvement in the bombings. Already the homes of several suspects have been demolished in the West Bank city of Nablus. Over twenty of their male family members have been arrested. Several of the detainees have petitioned the Israeli High Court to prevent authorities from sending them into exile in the Gaza Strip. As tension increases, clashes have broken out on the streets of Jenin where Palestinian youths threw stones at occupying Israeli forces. The fighting comes as Palestinian officials meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres for week long talks.

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The PalImHamas vows to revenge Israeli air strike

 

Palestinians funerals focus Gaza fury

The PalImpartiality in the news make headlines in Italy

Pope John Paul II parades for World Youth Day celebrations

28 July 2002

Ukranian leader bans airshows after jet crash kills 78

All nine trapped U.S. miners found alive

 

An incredible ending to a dramatic rescue. All nine men trapped in a flooded mine in the U.S. are alive. The governor of PennsylvaniaMark Schweiker gave the news after emergency workers succeeded in drilling through to cavity where the men were sheltering. He said all nine were alive and in relatively good shape despite their three day ordeal. The operation to get them out remains fraught with danger however. They will be hoisted up one at time in a special capsule but there are concerns over the stability of the rescue shaft.

Half a million attend Pope's prayer vigil at Youth Festival in Canada

More than half a million people attended an evening prayer vigil led by the Pope in what was the highpoint so far of the Catholic church's World Youth Festival in Canada. The Pope again appeared in relatively robust form as he addressed the jubilant crowd. He spoke to the young people in several languages including his own native Polish. The September 11th attacks were a central theme. The Pope said they had left an icon of evil in the world which young people had to overcome by building a civilization of peace and love.

Powerful explosion at Austrian disco

Germany's Finance Minister issue warning on corruption

 

In a bid to head corporate corruption off at the pass Germany's Finance Minister Hans Eichel warned he would take drastic action against companies guilty of financial misconduct. He told the newspaper Welt is Sonntag he was considering new measures similar to those being adopted in America to combat illegal business activities. Eichel said such action would be aimed at protecting capital markets. U.S. and European markets have been badly hit by recently by worries over corporate scandals. The warning comes at a time of low confidence in German business. Asked if Germany could soon see a wave of controversies like those affecting American giants Enron and Worldcom Eichel said Europe was different.

Sun stages fireworks show

 

Computerised images have been produced by a Nasa space observatory 1.6 million kilometres from Earth showing a series of large solar flares on the surface of the Sun. These huge explosions, capable of releasing as much energy as a billion megatonnes of dynamite, appear as flashes on the surface of the orb. It means the sun is experiencing its version of bad weather. It runs in cycles- with the sun becoming active approximately every 11 years. The solar flares are capable of affecting spacecraft electronics, radio communications and power systems here on Earth.

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