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Last Updated 21 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. UN General Assembly votes for Israel to pull down barrier
The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly in support of a resolution calling on Israel to tear down its West Bank barrier, in accordance with a World Court ruling. The 191-nation assembly voted 150-6, with 10 abstentions, to support the measure, which is aimed at dismantling the 600km barrier. The Palestinians see the wall as a land grab to dash hopes for eventual statehood, while Israel says it is needed to keep out suicide bombers. Israeli Ambassador, Dan Gillerman said: "Thank God the fate of Israel and the Jewish people is not decided in this hall." The General Assembly vote followed a World Court ruling on July 9 that the West Bank barrier was illegal. The World Court is the top UN legal body, and while its ruling is not legally binding, like the assembly resolution, it carries symbolic weight. The court ruled the barrier illegal because it cuts deep into West Bank land, shielding settlements built by Israel on territory seized in the 1967 Middle East War. The General Assembly resolution demands Israel comply with the World Court ruling and pay reparations for damages caused during construction. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Borrell aims to build confidence
The last time Josep Borrell hit the headlines it was for all the wrong reasons. In 1999, he stepped down as Spain's Socialist prime ministerial candidate to spare the party embarrassment as two of his former business partners were being investigated for fraud. He has kept a low public profile since then, but he has been very vocal about his ideas for a European superstate and boosting the image of parliament so that every citizen knows what role it performs. Borrell's experience in foreign and domestic politics is long and varied. Since he entered the Spanish parliament in 1979, he has held ten different portfolios, most notably, transport, public works and the environment. Nevertheless, he has already come under fire from those who think the EU is coming under too strong an influence from the Iberian peninsula. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Pope orders investigation into Austrian seminary scandal
Pope John Paul the second has ordered an investigation into a sex scandal at a seminary in St. Pölten in Austria. The allegations have shaken the Austrian Roman Catholic Church. On Monday state prosecutors charged a seminarian with possessing and distributing child pornography. Bishop Kurt Krenn, who is responsible for the college, has rejected calls to resign. Another Austrian Bishop, Klaus Küng, is leading the papal investigators. He said he did not know if Bishop Krenn would step down and it was not his responsibility. He called the Pope's decision "extraordinary." The Vatican was criticised for waiting months before reacting to a big sex abuse scandal in the US Church in 2002. In May of this year, it was revealed that Austrian prosecutors had found child pornography on the seminary's main computer, and on the computer of the student arrested. They also found images of priests kissing and fondling students. The seminary's director and his assistant, who appeared in the pictures published in a magazine last week, have resigned. The police investigation, however, is dealing only with the child pornography discovery. -------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 20 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- No surprises as Borrel wins parliamentary vote
The newly-elected enlarged European parliament of 732 members has begun its first session by electing its new president. As expected, only one ballot was needed to install Catalan socialist Josep Borrel, who scooped 388 votes in favour, with 208 against. "I would like to congratulate outgoing president Pat Cox for the manner in which, over the last 30 months, he's led this assembly. I'd also particularly like to greet the members from our 10 new EU states, and I hope they'll soon be joined by members from Rumania and Bulgaria ,which will at last allow us, in the words of Milan Kundera, to end the confiscation of half of the western world", said Borrel in his acceptance speech. Borrel's victory was a comfortable one, conforming the dominance of the parliament's two biggest groups, the Socialists and Conservatives, who will share the five year presidency, but with 208 votes Poland's Bronislaw Geremek notched up a more than honourable score for the Liberal-Democrat alliance. --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ. Filipino hostage freed in Iraq
A Filipino hostage has been released by Iraqi insurgents who had threatened to behead him. Angelo de la Cruz has arrived at the embassy of the Philippines in Baghdad and is reported to be in good health. The 46-year-old truck driver and father of eight was kidnapped near Falluja two weeks ago. The news comes a day after Manila pulled its 51-strong humanitarian contingent out of Iraq. The force's mandate was due to run out next month but it withdrew earlier to meet a deadline set by militants who vowed to kill de la Cruz if Manila failed to comply. Filipino President Gloria Arroyo was under pressure to secure the captive's release and end a deployment that was not particularly popular. But her decision has strained relations with strategic ally Washington. The US says it sets a dangerous precedent for giving in to kidnappers. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraqi official assassinated in Basra
A senior Iraqi official has been shot dead in Basra. Hazim Tawfiq al-Anachi's driver was asked to stop at a checkpoint by men wearing police uniforms. When he did so, they opened fire. Anachi was a member of the regional council of the country's second biggest city. Two bodyguards also died. This was the latest in a string of attacks in Iraq aimed at those militants accuse of collaborating with US-led forces. Being a politician, an official or an Iraqi police officer is a high-risk occupation. On Monday, a suicide bomber blew up a fuel truck near a police station in Baghdad. At least nine people were killed. Dozens more were wounded. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Efforts to ease Israel immigration row
There are signs that both France and Israel are seeking to ease tensions in the row over Jewish immigration. French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said today that there had been a "serious misunderstanding." His remarks came as the press in Israel reported the tougher line taken by France's President Jacques Chirac who has put on hold a long-standing invitation to Ariel Sharon to visit Paris until the Israeli leader explains why he urged French Jews to emigrate to Israel to escape what he called "the wildest anti-Semitism." But Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner also sought to soothe soured relations, also talking of a "misunderstanding" and describing France as a friend of Israel with whom it hopes to continue having a close dialogue. In fact, French Jews have already been bucking the trend when it comes to emigrating to Israel. Since 2002, the figures for new arrivals from France are up, while overall immigration to Israel is going down. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Palestinian premier insists he will quit
President Yasser Arafat is facing the stiffest challenge to his leadership since Palestinians gained limited self-rule a decade ago. Arafat is hoping for an end to the crisis in the Gaza Strip, where 18 people were wounded in fighting between Palestinians on Sunday night. One measure he has taken since is to appoint Abdel Razek al-Majeida to the new post of security director for Gaza and the West Bank. Al-Majeida's replacement by a relative of Arafat triggered street protests. That move followed short-lived kidnappings in Gaza and the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. On Monday he said that in the absence of a written response from Yasser Arafat, his offer stood. He has hinted that his final decision depends on Arafat's willingness to cede powers. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan echoed calls for reforms. He said: "I think the chairman Arafat should really take the time to listen to the prime minister and all the members of his leadership, and take the necessary steps to bring the situation under control and to work with the Egyptians and the Jordanians and the international community to reform his security apparatus." The turmoil reflects the struggle for control of the Gaza Strip ahead of Israel's planned withdrawal by the end of 2005. Younger Palestinian militants accuse officials of Yasser Arafat's generation of corruption. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Probe opened into deadly coal mine blast in Ukraine
Prosecutors in Ukraine have opened an investigation into an apparent breach of safety regulations which might have led to a blast that killed at least 31 coal miners overnight. Those found to be responsible could face eight years in prison. The methane explosion happened nearly a kilometre below ground at the Krasnolimanska mine, one of the country's most productive pits. Dozens of rescue teams suspended work as a raging fire sent temperatures soaring. Several miners are still missing. The blast is the latest in a long series of incidents plaguing the industry. Last year around 250 miners were killed, making Ukraine's accident rate the worst in Europe. The situation is blamed on out-of-date equipment, lack of funding and poor safety conditions. -------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 19 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sharon and Peres discuss "unity government"
It is a day of tough talking for Israel's prime minister, as he pursues plans to broaden his coalition government. Ariel Sharon convened ministers for a weekly cabinet meeting but the real challenge was due later with the opening of formal negotiations between his right-wing Likud party and, on the centre-left, Labour. The Isreali leader is seeking to bolster a coalition shaken by far-right rejection of his plan to pull soldiers and Jewish settlers out of the Gaza Strip by the end of 2005. But political sources suggest that the Labour Party of Shimon Peres is demanding an accelerated withdrawal as the price for coming on board. As well as Labour, Ariel Sharon is also courting two ultra-Orthodox Jewish factions, in a bid to regain his parliamentary majority. --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 18 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Arafat under increased pressure in Gaza
There has been fresh turmoil in the Palestinian territories as calls for reform intensify. Thousands marched in Gaza City, complaining of corruption within the Palestinian Authority. Their anger was fuelled by Yasser Arafat's appointment of a relative to be the new local security chief. Militants showed their disgust by attacking a facility at Khan Younis, already under the control of the man in question. The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said it destroyed the security post, warning Mussa Arafat that he would not be accepted in the job and that he must hand in his resignation. The chaos only adds to the crisis facing the Palestinian president, who in the past has paid little more than lip-service to reforms likely to diminish his influence. He ordered a security shake-up in Gaza after the brief abduction on Friday of four French aid workers and two local officials. After the kidnappings, the Palestinian prime minister said he wanted to step down. Yasser Arafat rejected Ahmed Qurie's resignation but reports suggest the premier is not ready to change his mind. The two leaders were due to get together to discuss the matter as part of a series of emergency meetings.
Air strike in IRAQ kills 11
Women and children are reported to be among 11 people killed in a US air strike on the Iraqi city of Falluja. It is the latest in a series of raids on buildings believed to be sheltering militants in Falluja, a hotbed of anti-American resistance within the so-called Sunni triangle. An Iraqi government official said the country's prime minister Iyad Allawi had given his green light to the latest American raids, which he said were aimed at "terrorists."
Deadly start to summer holiday getaway
At least six people have been killed in a pile-up on the main motorway south from Rome towards Naples, marking a deadly start to one of the summer holiday season's busiest weekends. A series of passenger cars apparently smashed into a cattle truck which had overturned close to the Italian capital. Thick smoke, reportedly coming from a fire which had been raging beside the highway, had severely reduced visibility. In France, motorists had to contend with long queues at tollbooths. The heaviest traffic was in the southeast, near the city of Lyon. By the middaytravel peak, authorities estimated that there were over 430 kilometres of jams across the country. The start of the summer holidays in Germany and the Netherlands had a knock-on effect in Austria as thousands headed south for their annual break. A traffic jam up to 12 kilometres long was registered near Salzburg as motorists waited up to two hours to pass through the Tauern tunnel. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ariane 5 ferries broadband satellite into orbit
The latest Ariane 5 rocket has blasted off into space, this time carrying the world's largest telecoms satellite into orbit. The launch from Kourou in French Guiana on the northeast coast of south America went ahead without a hitch,despite several days of delays. Bad weather and technical faults have seen the spacecraft grounded for the past week. The payload, called Anik F2, is a near-6,000 kilogramme satellite owned by Canadian firm Telesat. It is going to be set up in a geostationary orbit and is programmed to provide north America with high speed internet access for the next 15 years. This is the second successful launch of the year for
Europe's Arianespace, which sent up the Rosetta exploration probe
in early March. --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 17 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Italian PM names new finance minister, averting showdown
Silvio Berlusconi has named a new finance minister, a move he hopes will bring an end to weeks of squabbling within his coalition government. The Italian Prime Minister says he has offered the job to the head of the treasury, Domenico Siniscalco. He will replace Guilio Tremonti who resigned at the start of the month because of the infighting. Coalition partner the UDC had also earlier demanded a shake-up, threatening to pull out of the government. It seems, however, that Berlusconi has patched over the cracks, at least for now, and the UDC says it has backed down from its threat. Observers say there is unlikely to be lasting peace though, with ideological differences still dividing the four-party government. The crisis began when the coalition fared badly in European and local elections. When infighting forced out the finance minister, Berlusconi came in for further criticism when he named himself as the temporary replacement. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Chaos in Gaza as militants put pressure on Arafat
Palestinian police have been placed on high alert after a series of kidnappings in the Gaza Strip. The security situation sank from bad to worse in a matter of hours as gunmen launched a series of kidnappings. At a Red Crescent building in Khan Younis a group believed to be from the Abu al-Rish Brigades took four French civilians hostage. After a short time they released two women, and a few hours later let the two men walk free aswell. The abductions are being seen as an attempt by militants to strengthen their position by challenging Yasser Arafat's rule ahead of a planned withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlers from Gaza. The gunmen demanded that the Palestinian president tackle corruption, make political reforms and help the poor. It took a call from Arafat to resolve the situation. The militants explained their reasons: "We want to bring this situation to the attention of Europe," said a masked man. "To let them know about the plight of the Palestinian people and the demolition of their homes." Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie has called an emergency cabinet meeting to address the situation. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 80 victims in India school fire "had no chance"
There were scenes of chaos and panic in southern India as a school fire claimed the lives of at least 80 young children. Rescuers and parents frantically tried to reach those trapped, but the building's narrow entrance made it virtually impossible. Most of the children who died suffocated after being trapped on a tiny staircase leading to the ground floor. At least 30 pupils have been injured, many of them seriously. Officials say the fire started in a kitchen where lunch was being prepared, and the school's thatched-roof fuelled the flames. The tragedy in the town of Kumbakonam, in Tamil Nadu state, is the second major deadly fire in the region this year. More than 50 people died in a blaze at a marriage hall in January. Fires in India's overcrowded and dilapidated schools happen frequently, with safety regulations routinely flouted. In 1995, at least 400 people, most of them children, died in a school fire in northern India. --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ Car bomb targets Iraqi minister
The attack happened near a petrol station, just after the minister had left his home. The blast set off a number of secondary fires. Baghdad saw its first major attack this week since the handover of power, when a car bomb killed at least 10 people. Insurgents have repeatedly targeted top Iraqi officials. Earlier this week, the governor of Mosul was killed when his convoy was ambushed, in an attack claimed by a group linked to Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Another 22 people were reported injured, as prospective
recruits waited to enter the building at 0745 --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 14 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ intelligence "seriously flawed"
An inquiry into the intelligence underpinning the British government's case for war on Iraq has found that it was "seriously flawed" but that Prime Minister Tony Blair was not personally responsible. The report was compiled by a committee headed by Lord Butler: "We found no evidence of deliberate distortion or of culpable negligence. Nor for that matter of assessments being influenced by the policy concerns of senior members of the Joint Intelligence Committee," Lord Butler said. Among the report's main findings: * The Joint Intelligence Committee found no evidence of cooperation between the Iraqi regime and al-Qaida. * Assessments that Iraq sought uranium from Africa where well founded on intelligence. * The September 2002 dossier should not have claimed that Iraq could launch chemical and biological weapons within 45 minutes notice. Its use led to suspicions it was included because of its "eye-catching character. Lord Butler said while undue weight was placed on the intelligence the inquiry found the government made "no deliberate attempt to mislead" and that "failures were collective". The long awaited report also says Iraq "did not have significant - if any - stocks of chemical or biological weapons in a state fit for deployment nor developed plans for using them". Butler apportioned no blame for the quality of the intelligence or how it was used in the government's case for war. He said John Scarlett, who headed the JIC and has now been promoted to run Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, should not be punished. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Berlusconi in coalition unity plea
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been attempting to rally his fractious coalition with a plea to overcome internal divisions. In what is being seen as an olive branch to discontented partners, Berlusconi indicated a willingness to modify his reform programme which has been the source of so much wrangling within his centre-right administration. Speaking in parliament he expressed confidence that the governing parties would stick together and remain united until the next general election in 2006. The crisis battering the government was unleashed by last month's European and local elections in which Berlusconi's Forza Italia party lost ground to its three main partners, who immediately demanded greater power. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe's top judges clarify EU budget discipline rules
A judgement by Europe's highest court has come down
against EU finance ministers. The European Court of Justice says the
politicians failed to respect the rules when they suspended disciplinary
action last year against Berlin and Paris for excessive deficits. Observers say the decision by EU finance ministers last November had dented the credibility of the Stability and Growth pact on budget discipline. The latest ruling strengthens the hand of the Commission at a time when half a dozen of the euro zone's 12 members are expected to have budget deficits above the EU limit this year. --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 12 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Sharon seeking support for Gaza pullout
Tough talking lies ahead today for Israel's Prime Minister as he seeks to bridge the political gap and join forces with his rivals. Ariel Sharon has invited the opposition Labour Party into his coalition, a move that would give him vital support as he pursues his controversial plan to evacuate Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip. But his Likud colleagues are divided over the prospect of an alliance, as are members of the Labour Party of Shimon Peres. It is thought that Peres set some strong demands for taking up the offer, such as a top cabinet portfolio and a speedier pullout from the Gaza Strip than Ariel Sharon has planned. Giving up a major minister's post, however, is likely to spark discontent within the Likud ranks. Accelerating the withdrawal would fuel anger among many settlers. Ariel Sharon only won cabinet approval for his Gaza plan after firing two far-right ministers, a move that cost him his parliamentary majority. A so-called 'national unity' government could give him back the power he needs to push the measure through, although the track record is not good. A previous alliance between Likud and Labour unravelled in a row over settlements. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Berlusconi battles to keep coalition together
Italy's Silvio Berlusconi has been meeting with his partners in government, hoping to calm an open rebellion in their ranks. Several parties have threatened to quit the ruling coalition over the prime minister's policy programme, which includes a round of proposed tax cuts many argue Italy can barely afford. Simmering tensions have bubbled over since last month's European elections, when Berlusconi's Forza Italia party lost ground to its three partners. So far the biggest victim of the quarrel has been finance minister Giulio Tremonti, a close Berlusconi ally, who was forced to resign. But patience is wearing thin, with the labour minister telling reporters there would be no more room for what he called "ambiguity" and "hypocrisy". --------------------------------------------------------------------- Doctors board ship carrying African migrants off Sicily
Two doctors have boarded a ship carrying 37 refugees off the Italian island of Sicily, after the vessel was preventing from docking. They have reportedly said that none of the would-be migrants require urgent medical treatment. The refugees- 36 Sudanese nationals and another African- were rescued from a leaking dinghy in the Mediterranean late last month. The ship that picked them up belongs to a German aid group. Yesterday, the German captain said he was worried about the physical and psychological well-being of the migrants. The Italian government then decided to let it anchor off Porto Empedocle in Sicily. But it has resisted pressure from the United Nations refugee agency to let the refugees disembark. Rome has insisted they should have been taken ashore in nearby Malta, because the ship passed through Maltese waters. Italy's interior ministry says letting them land would set a dangerous precedent, and it is going to investigate the legal liability of the ship's German captain. --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 9 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Apprehensive Israel awaits ruling on West Bank wall
Israel is bracing itself for a World Court verdict on its controversial security barrier later today. The decision by the UN's highest legal authority is not binding and Israel does not recognise its competence in the matter, but it fears a negative ruling would be a potent political tool in the hands of its enemies. For Israelis, the bottom line is that the barrier saves lives. Ron Kehrmann lost his daughter in a suicide bombing. "Fences are revocable, the death of my daughter is not revocable, and neither is the death of many other people. Not building this fence is condemning others to death," he said. The structure - a mixture of walls and fences - should eventually stretch for 730 kilometres. It cuts into land, which is internationally recognised as belonging to the Palestinians. Thousands of Palestinians have been separated from farms, jobs, schools and relatives by the barrier, which the Palestinian Authority calls a land grab and an attempt to snuff out the dream of an independent state. Israel is worried that a negative court ruling would trigger a resolution in the UN Security Council. If that snags on an American veto, the Palestinians would be likely to take the issue to the General Assembly, where anti-Israeli sentiment is strong. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sharon links nuclear discussions to regional peace
It was billed as a mission impossible, but the head of the UN atomic watchdog did secure a small concession from Israel over its presumed arsenal. International Atomic Energy Agency director Mohammed El-Baradei was on a three-day visit to Israel, hoping to nudge it into discussing the possibility of a Middle East free of nuclear weapons. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told El-Baradei that his country could consider the idea, but only as part of a broader peace process in the region sometime in the future. The Jewish state refuses to admit or deny it has nuclear weapons under a policy of "strategic ambiguity", but international experts calculate it has 100-200 warheads, based on estimates of plutonium reprocessed at its Dimona reactor. Meanwhile Palestinian journalists have uncovered what they suspect is an Israeli attempt to hide nuclear waste in rocks in the Negev desert near the Dimona facility. A Palestinian doctor said there had been an abnormal rise in cancers in the area, according to the report. Israeli media have also quoted former Dimona employees as saying there were cover-ups of radioactive leaks that led to cancers. --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ. Kidnappers in Iraq threaten to kill two Bulgarians
Militants in Iraq have threatened to kill two Bulgarian hostages within 24 hours unless US-led forces free Iraqi prisoners. On Thursday Al-Jazeera television broadcast a tape which, it said, had come from the group headed by Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Al-Zarqawi is believed to be linked to al-Qaeda. His group has claimed responsibility for the beheadings of an American and a South Korean taken hostage in Iraq. According to Al-Jazeera, the group reportedly said the Bulgarian government bore responsibility for the safety of its citizens because it had sent troops to Iraq. Meanwhile the US State Department said an American Marine of Lebanese background, Wassef Ali Hassoun, was safe and well at the US embassy in Beirut. He was reportedly accompanied by relatives. A spokesman said: "Corporal Hassoun is at the US embassy in Beirut. We were able to go get him this morning." The 24-year-old disappeared from his unit on June 21. He was filmed after being kidnapped. Statements on Islamist internet sites later said that he had been beheaded, but this week his family confirmed that he had been released. The military has declined to comment on media reports that Hassoun deserted from his unit. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Berlusconi's son and daughter in finance probe
Investigations into the financial dealings of the Berlusconi empire are reported to have widened to include the son and daughter of the Italian prime minister. Court officials have been quoted as saying Piersilvio and Marina Berlusconi are under the spotlight for alleged money laundering. Piersilvio is deputy chairman of Berlusconi's Mediaset broadcast company and Marina is deputy chair of Fininvest, the family holding group which controls it. Their father is already being investigated as part of an inquiry into suspected fraudulent television deals between Mediaset and a U.S. firm in the mid-1990s. In a statement the family denied Piersilvio and Marina were also under scrutiny. The probe focuses on the purchase by Mediaset of television rights for U.S. films in 1994 and 1995 through two offshore firms. Investigators suspect the purchase costs were inflated by about $170 million or around 137 million euros. --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Mentally ill" ruling overturns Lindh killer's sentence
The man who killed Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh has been deemed mentally ill and has had his life sentence for murder overturned. The High court in Stockholm made the ruling after Mijailo Mijailovic was examined by a new team of psychiatrists. His lawyer had appealed a lower court's guilty verdict which was based on an earlier clinical assessment that Mijailovic was sane enough to go to jail. The 25-year-old admitted stabbing Lindh in a department store in central Stockholm in September but denied intent to kill. The High Court said he had acted on an impulse when he attacked Lindh. The killing of the popular politician in front of several witnesses shocked a nation where senior officials rarely had bodyguards. Mijailovic, who claimed he heard voices in his head, will now receive treatment at a psychiatric institution. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Enron's former boss Ken Lay charged with fraud
Kenneth Lay, the founder and former top boss of the collapsed US energy company Enron, has again protested his innocence after being charged with 11 counts of fraud and making false statements. Lay said even though he was in charge of Eron, which at one stage was the seventh largest company in the US, he was unaware of the massive fraud, which involved falsifying of accounts to hide Enron's millions of dollars in debts. He told a news conference in Houston, Texas: "Failure does not amount to a crime. Although my lawyers and I believe I should not have been indicted, now that I have been I've instructed my legal team that I want a speedy trial and I hope it will begin by early September of this year. "Not only are we ready to go to trial, but we are anxious to prove my innocence." Lay blamed the fraud on Enron's chief financial officer, Andrew Fastow, who has admitted guilt and may be a prosection witness. The timing of the trial - just weeks before the US presidential election - could be problem for US President George W Bush as Lay was a friend of his and a major financial campaign contributor. --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 7 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Austrian president loses battle with life
Austrian President Thomas Klestil has died. The 71-year-old passed away late on Tuesday at a hospital in Vienna after suffering sudden heart failure the day before. The conservative politician had a history of lung problems, and doctors had little hope that this time he would pull through. He was placed in an artificially-induced coma while they worked on his heart and he was clinically dead on two occasions. In the end he suffered multiple organ failure. Klestil, who began his career as a diplomat, was widely respected for his role in repairing the image of his country following revelations about his predecessor's role in the German army under Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The former head of state, whose role was largely ceremonial, was due to stand down from his second term as president later this week. His replacement will be Social Democrat, Heinz Fischer, who is expected to be sworn in on Thursday. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Is Kerry-Edwards Democratic dream team?
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has chosen energy over experience and picked John Edwards as his running mate, hopeful the fresh-faced ex-lawyer will broaden their appeal and win over swing voters. Edwards - a Southern populist with working class roots - is expected to balance the Massachusetts senator's sometimes elitist image. He described Edwards - who had been his chief rival in the party's selection process - as a man with guts, determination and political skills. So is this the first page in a tale of the two Johns? They will campaign together over the next few days although Edwards' real test will come in October when he squares off against Vice President Dick Cheny in a televised debate. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Gaza plan foes could try to kill Sharon - minister
Security surrounding Israeli premier Ariel Sharon has been stepped up amid fears he could be targeted by settlers who oppose his Gaza withdrawal plan. His internal security minister said he is sure there are Jewish radicals ready to assassinate the prime minister to stop the pullout. Sharon won cabinet approval for the plan, which calls for the uprooting of all 21 Jewish settlements in the coastal strip and four in the West Bank. But settlers feel betrayed by Sharon, once their most avid champion, although polls show the majority of Israelis approve. The US Secretary of State Colin Powell has expressed his disappointment with the slow pace at which Israel is dismantling settlement outposts in Palestinian territory, as required under the road map peace plan. Sharon's personal security has been bolstered recently to prevent a repeat of premier Yitsak Rabin's 1995 assassination by an extremist trying to halt peace talks with the Palestinians. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Nuclear watchdog chief to hold talks with Israeli PM
The chief of the United Nation's nuclear watchdog has arrived in Israel in an attempt to establish a 'nuclear arms-free zone' in the region. Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, but he says he is not expecting a miracle: "This is a long path to travel and we should not have any illusion that these things, the security structure, the security situation or the security perception, will change overnight." For many years, Israel has been ambiguous about its nuclear capabilities, making it arguably one of the most secretive weapons programs in the world. Israel says it has no intention of changing this due to the current instability in the region. It has neither admitted, nor denied having nuclear arms, but international experts estimate the country is likely to have up to 200 warheads. Although the Jewish state is a member of the IAEA, it is the only country in the Middle East to have never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. A former Israeli nuclear technician turned whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu, who was this year released after 18 years in jail, has called for ElBaradei to pressure the state into changing its policy. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Balkan. Milosevic trial to resume next week
The trial of Slobodan Milosevic is to resume on July 14. Judges at The Hague war crimes tribunal postponed the proceedings yesterday because of concerns about the former Yugoslav leader's health, but they now say he is fit to stand trial. They announced he may not be fit to represent himself, however. Milosevic has insisted on defending himself but the tribunal believes that would put further strain on his health and jeopardise the trial. Judges could impose a defence lawyer for him. Milosevic is charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the Balkan wars of the 1990s. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
French police have been searching several locations near Paris in a bid to find clues to unsolved murders linked to self-confessed serial killer Michel Fourniret. Officers checked the former house of Farida Hellegouarch, whom Fourniret has admitted murdering. They also searched gardens near a home where he used to live. Fourniret has confessed to nine murders in France and Belgium, but it is believed there could be many more victims. Belgian prosecutor Arnoud d'Aspremont Lynden said: "It's quite possible to imagine that a man like Fourniret wouldn't just stop killing for 10 years. Of course, we have no concrete proof of that at the present time." Meanwhile, the French government has launched a working group to look at ways of tightening up arrangements allowing the release of sex offenders thought to have reformed. The cases of Fourniret and suspected killer Pierre Bodein have put pressure on Paris. --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 5 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Italy avoids budget warning
The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has headed off a budget warning from euro zone finance ministers meeting in Brussels by promising a package of cuts. Berlusconi was standing in for Giuli Tremonti who was ousted as Italy's finance minister following internal wrangling within the cabinet at the weekend. Italy's budget deficit had been on course to break the EU's 3 per cent limit The Dutch finance minister, Gerrit Zalm, said: "Italy presented a package of 7.5 billion euros. Part of it is in expenditure cuts, part in tax measures and other measures. It was very encouraging to see that Prime Minister Berlusconi will see to it that the measures will be implemented." Berlusconi is likely turn his attention now to finding a replacement for Tremonti. The EU Competition Commissioner has been tipped to take on the role but neither he nor the Commission has commented on the speculation. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Milosevic trial postponed indefinitely
Europe's most important war crimes trial since World War II could come to a premature end. The poor health of Slobodan Milosevic has prompted judges at the Hague tribunal to postpone the proceedings indefinitely, and it is not clear whether the former Yugoslav leader will be fit to continue at all. Milosevic, who is representing himself, was due to launch his defence today after repeated delays. Despite his less than sprightly appearance, the ex-Serbian strongman was in fighting mood. He fired a broadside against the presiding judge for reading out a medical report that Milosevic said was his own private business. The 62-year-old faces charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, allegedly committed during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990's. In the light of his health problems, one option for the court is to impose a defence lawyer on the former leader. However, Zdenko Tomanovic, one of Milosevic's legal advisors, said that would not work. "He's not going to accept any lawyer because that would just prolong the case," he told reporters. "How would the defence counsel get through 635,000 pages of documents and a couple of thousand video tapes?" --------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 3 July, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Key Italian minister quits
Italy's economy minister has fallen on his sword - to save Silvio Berlusconi's government. Giulio Tremonti, a loyal supporter of the premier, has stepped down after weeks of infighting within the ruling coalition. The crisis came to a head on Friday when the country's deputy prime minister demanded changes in economic policy. Failing such a move, Gianfranco Fini threatened to pull his National Alliance party out of the government - action that could have led to a general election in Italy. Silvio Berlusconi will be keen to avoid such a test of public opinion after his Forza Italia party emerged badly bruised from recent European and local polls. Giulio Tremonti's resignation followed a stormy meeting of senior coalition partners. It comes at a particularly delicate moment for Italy, with European Union finance ministers due to decide on Monday whether to issue the country with an official warning that its budget deficit is set to breach EU limits this year. Silvio Berlusconi himself is taking over the economy portfolio on a temporary basis. But his close ally's departure undoubtedly leaves a gaping hole at the heart of the Italian government. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Rome signing for EU constitution
They have not always seen eye to eye, notably over Iraq, where the French and Italian leaders found themselves on opposite sides of the argument. But all that seemed forgotten as Jacques Chirac and Silvio Berlusconi got together in Paris, stressing the strong links between their two countries. The Italian prime minister also had a big announcement to make. He told a news conference that the new European Union constitution would be signed in Rome on November 20, in the very room where, nearly half a century ago, the treaty that established the European Economic Community was signed. President Chirac meanwhile said he was awaiting a court appeal before deciding whether to meet Italy's request for France to extradite Cesare Battisti, a former member of a radical Italian left-wing group who has been convicted of murders in Italy in the 1970s. Arrested earlier this year, Battisti, who has renounced terror, is one of several dozen Italian fomer militants living in France under a sanctuary deal offered by the late Socialist President Francois Mitterrand. But a court in Paris ruled on Wednesday that Battisti, now a widely-published crime novelist, should be sent back to Italy. His supporters are urging President Chirac not to sign the final extradition order. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Powell leads 1970s song and dance routine
It was all done in the name of improving international relations! US Secretary of State Colin Powell has taken to the stage to strut his stuff at a security meeting in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, bringing together government representatives from all over Asia. He led the US delegation in a take-off of the 1970s disco hit YMCA. The traditional song and dance routine has become a highlight of the last night of the summit.
Hollywood legend Marlon Brando, hailed as one of the most influential actors of his generation, is being mourned across the US and the world. In New York's theatre district, lights were dimmed for a minute in memory of the screen icon, who died in hospital of lung failure, aged 80. Brando perfected a raw, naturalistic style of acting that was at the same time menacing and tender. "Everyone feels the same way about Brando. He reinvented American acting. Absolutely changed the face of American acting, first on the stage and then in film," said film historian Leonard Maltin. Brando made over 40 movies. He best-known roles include that of the swaggering brute Slanley Kowalski in "A Streetcar Named Desire" in 1951 and, more than two decades later, an unforgettably brooding, and, at times, mumbling portrayal of the patriach of a Mafia family in "The Godfather." He raised eyebrows by accepting a role in the sexually explicit "Last Tango in Paris" in 1972. Many Brando fans will remember him for his performance in the 1979 Vietnam epic "Apocalypse Now." --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQis demand death penalty for Saddam
Hundreds of people took to the streets of the Iraqi town of Samarra on Friday.They chanted: "With our blood, with our souls, we will sacrifice ourselves for you Saddam." The protest came just south of the former president's hometown Tikrit, and just a day after he made his first appearance in a Baghdad court to hear charges including crimes against humanity. In other parts of Iraq, including Baghdad's Shi'ite suburb of Sadr City, local clerics leading Friday prayers called for Saddam Hussein to be executed. Supporters of the radical Shi'ite leader Moqtada al-Sadr took to the streets of Kazimiya also demanding the former dictator be given the ultimate punishment. Saddam and the 11 others in court yesterday could face the death sentence if the new government reinstates it. The preliminary charges against Saddam referred to the suppression of Kurdish and Shi'ite revolts after the 1991 Gulf War, poison gas attacks and other massacres of Kurds, and the killing of religious leaders and political figures. The United Nations' new human rights chief has urged the international community to observe Saddam's trial to ensure it is fair.
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