Last Updated 31 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Motive unclear after Baghdad blast
A car has exploded in a busy Baghdad street killing at least two Iraqis and wounding about 13 others. The street is close to the base of the interim Iraqi Governing Council but a US officer at the scene said the target of the attack was unknown. According to Arab TV station Al Jazeera, talks to decide posts in the new Iraqi government were postponed until Tuesday because of fears of an attack today. It was not immediately clear what caused the blast. A US spokesman said it was a car bomb but some Iraqi witnesses said they believed a rocket or mortar had hit the street. One eyewitness said a car was driving down the street, when it turned and suddenly blew up. In the aftermath of the blast, some Iraqis tried to help the wounded and to collect body parts. Meanwhile, in Kufa, the fighting continues between US soldiers and militiamen loyal to the rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, despite a four-day truce. --------------------------------------------------------------------- IGC delay's decision on new Iraqi president
The announcement of who will become Iraq's new president has been delayed. The Iraqi Governing Council has postponed its decision until Tuesday. There are reports that differences between the US and the interim council forced the move. The choice for the largely ceremonial role of president is between Ghazi al-Yawar who holds the current rotating presidency of the IGC and his fellow Sunni muslim, Adnan Pachachi, who the US and the UN are said to favour. The selection of the interim government to run Iraq after the return of sovereignty on June 30 remains a fraught process. The final make-up of the new administration was set to be announced today. Meanwhile, Iyad Allawi has been confirmed as the new prime minister. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ferrari boss takes over at Fiat
The Italian carmaker FIAT has appointed a new boss following the death of chairman Umberto Agnelli. He is Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. Up until now he has been head of Ferrari, which is part of the FIAT group, and he was recently appointed head of the Italian employers' federation Cofindustria. His number two will be John Philip Elkann, the 28-year-old grandson of Giovanni Agnelli, Umberto's brother who died last year. Umberto Agnelli died of cancer on Thursday at the age of 69. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 30 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Majority of hostages freed in Saudia Arabia
Saudi forces have rescued most of the fifty or so hostages being held by al Qaeda militants in the eastern city of Khobar. According to security officials, two of the militants were killed during the operation, while the ringleader and six other gunmen have been arrested. The majority of the hostages have been taken from the building. Three troop-carrying helicopters were seen dropping commandos on the roof of a residential complex where the guerrillas are holding their captives. Exchanges of gunfire were heard as the helicopters arrived. The militants had rigged a building in the compound with explosives and were holding their hostages on the sixth floor. In yesterday's attack, the guerrillas sprayed gunfire at Western oil firms. Nine Saudis and seven foreigners, including two Westerners, were killed. A statement purportedly from Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network was posted on Islamist internet sites claiming responsibility for the assault. It is the third time in less than a month that foreigners and the oil industry have been targeted. Analysts fear the perception of deteriorating security will harm oil markets. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Three members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas have been killed in an Israeli helicopter missile strike in Gaza city
Seven other Palestinians, including two children, were said to have been wounded in the attack in the Zeitoun district. Hamas sources said one of the dead had been the mastermind of one of two landmine blasts which together killed 11 Israeli soldiers during raids into Gaza earlier this month. 42 Palestinains died in what was one of the bloodiest episodes of the past few years of conflict. Elseswhere, militants shot dead an Israeli army officer in the West Bank on Saturday. The violence comes ahead of a meeting in which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had been planning to present his a revised plan for an Israeli pull-out of Gaza. The original version was rejected by his Likud party. But it is understood a vote will be postponed because too many cabinet members still oppose the proposal. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Likely Iraqi cabinet named after nomination of PM
After the choice of Iyad Allawi for post of Iraqi Prime Minister, a list of likely cabinet ministers is now emerging. Iraq's Governing Council, the US-led administration and the UN appear to have agreed on the names of ministers who will take power on June 30. Analysts say that Allawi will have a difficult job convincing fellow Iraqis that he is the right man to lead the country to free elections. He is a secular Shi'ite who opposed Saddam Hussein from exile, apparently working closely with the CIA. Adnan Pachachi, a Sunni Muslim who was foreign minister in the 1960s before Saddam came to power, is considered frontrunner for the post of president. Re-establishing security across the country will be a top priority for thenew government. Ready to face that challenge appears to be a mix of ministers including Kurds and Shi'ite and Sunni muslims. Thamir Ghadban has been nominated as oil minister, Kurdish politician Hoshiyar Zebari as defence minister and another Kurd, Barham Salih as foreign minister. Adel Abdul Mahdi, a Shi'ite, has been nominated as finance minister --------------------------------------------------------------------- Berlusconi slams critics in address to his party congress
It was seen as a rallying call to his supporters ahead of the European elections. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has given a defiant speech to a congress of his Forza Italia party near Milan, insisting that he is meeting promises made to voters. He also told the congress it would be absolutely absurd to consider withdrawing Italian troops from Iraq. "Italy's international standing would be at stake if we pulled out," he said. "To be consistent we would have to withdraw from Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Afghanistan." "I repeat, with painful pride, that when a head of government decides to send his sons into a dangerous situation, this head of government feels an enormous responsibility, and he suffers as if they were his own sons at the frontline." Critics of Berlusconi have slammed him for giving unquestioning support to US policy in Iraq, even though a majority of Italians were against war. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 29 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraqi council "unanimous" in choice of PM
The unanimous choice - the was the claim of a member of the Iraqi Governing Council about Iyad Allawi, the man selected to be the prime minister of the new Iraqi government after the handover of power on June 30. He may not have been elected by Iraqis but his nomination is said to have been approved by all members of the council. A White House spokesman expressed America's support: "I think we have all seen the news reports on Mr. Allawi and he is certainly a fine and capable leader who appears to have broad support among the Iraqi people." Shi'ite Allawi is a former member of Saddam Hussein's Baath party who worked with the CIA to topple him. The UN's Iraq envoy Lakdhar Brahimi said he respected the council's decision and would work with Allawi in the selection of the other posts in the interim government. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fiat chairman Agnelli dies at 69
It is a day of mourning for Fiat after the Italian carmaker's chairman Umberto Agnelli died at the age of 69. He passed away at his home in Turin after losing his battle with cancer. After running the auto division in the 1980s he emerged from behind his more charismatic older brother Gianni when the long-serving Fiat boss succumbed to cancer in January last year. Umberto's death is the latest blow to the Agnelli family. They are often compared to the Kennedys in the United States: a powerful clan troubled by tragedy. Umberto's son, who was being groomed to take over Fiat, died of cancer in 1997 and in 2000 his nephew committed suicide, unable to handle the pressures of the family name. Umberto's father died in a plane crash in 1935 and his mother in a car crashthree years later. "I felt really really bad when I heard the news, I nearly cried," said one man. "We hope the nephews do as well as their grandads and uncles," said a former Fiat employee. "When I was there it was fine, and I hope the good times come back." Many Italians feel Fiat is part of the family. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Agnelli's death was a "great loss for the country". With the two brothers who headed the dynasty now gone the weight of responsibility passes to Gianni's 26-year-old grandson, John Elkann. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Italian government says Umberto Agnelli's death will not affect Fiat recovery
The end of an era at Fiat is how the death of the company's chairman Umberto Agnelli was described by Italy's Deputy Foreign Minister Mario Baldassarri. But the Italian government is stressing that Agnelli's death at 69 from cancer will not have any impact on Fiat's financial recovery plan. Umberto Agnelli had succeeded his older brother Gianni who died, also from cancer, early last year. Italy's Industry Minister Antonio Marzano said the goverment will "stay by Fiat's side as it implements a recovery plan that is yielding positive results". Fiat consists of the mass production car companies including Alfa Romeo and Lancia, the truck maker Iveco, agricultural and construction vehicle firm CNH and Ferrari-Maserati sports car Last year it sold two million vehicles with turnover of 52 billion euros. Its debt then was three billion but has since risen to 4.4 billion. The Angelli family founded Fiat just over 100 years ago and remains the top shareholder with around 30% but that could change next year as the banks which have loaned Fiat money have the option to swap that debt for shares. Fiat is showing signs that it is on the road to recovery as in the first three months of this year it halved its operating loss due to improved sales and cost cutting. The company is still talking about breaking even by next year. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Clashes mar end of EU/Latin America summit
The end of EU/Latin America summit in Mexico has been marred by violence. A small group of protestors clashed with police guarding the conference venue in Guadalahara. The demonstration by unions and anti-globalisation campaigners was otherwise peaceful. Representatives of the 58 nations involved came to a relativetely easy agreement that multilateralism was the best way to resolve conflicts around the world. Although not mentioned by name it seemed clear the summit's rejection of unilateral action by individual states was a pointed reference to the US. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder endorsed calls for a reformed and stronger United Nations. "There's a goodwill on both sides to support the process of reform which Koffi Annan was initiating," he said. "There are some differences but we all want to work for a real renaissance and for an improvement of the work of the UN." Delegates had earlier found it more difficult to agree a text deploring the treatment of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib jail in Baghdad. There was overall agreement on a commitment to work for the creation of what would be the world's largest free trade zone. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Pinochet to appeal immunity ruling
Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is facing possible trial for human rights crimes after an appeals court lifted his immunity from prosecution. He had that protection since 2001 when Chile's Supreme Court ruled he was too ill and mentally unfit to be tried. But human rights lawyers convinced the appeals court that a recent interview on TV in Miama showed he was neither senile nor forgetful. The decision could yet be overturned by the Supreme court but it has been welcomed as a breakthrough by families of his regime's victims. Voicing their views Viviana Diaz said: "He is not incapable of standing trial, he's not mentally unfit. We must remember that crimes were committed in our country and Chilean justice must do what it failed to do in the past." The 88 year old general could initially be prosecuted over the disappearance of 9 left-wing activists. They were arrested in Argentina during Operation Condor which targetted opponents of several South American dictatorships in the 1970's. Pinochet seized power in 1973 in a bloody coup and led Chile until 1990. More than 3,000 people were killed or disappeared during his rule. Victims' relatives have filed nearly 300 criminal suits against Pinochet. For each case, courts must first decide whether to remove his immunity before going to trial. His lawyers have indicated they will appeal the latest ruling. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Police residence attacked with rocket on Corsica.
A rocket attack has targetted the home of a French policeman and his family on the island of Corsica. The officer, his wife and two children managed to escape unharmed after the explosion in the village of Cauro. Officials say it was a close call, with the rocket striking close to where the children were sleeping. The building that was hit houses the families of seven gendarmes. Local officials have condemned the attack saying it could have claimed lives. Up until now only dummy rockets have been fired at police stations and public buildings. The latest attack is the seventh against the police in Corsica since the start of the year. The Government is promising an all out effort to find those responsible ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 28 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Two Japanese journalists reportedly killed in Iraq
Two Japanese freelance journalists are reported to be the latest victims of militant attacks near the town of Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad. A vehicle the men were travelling in came under attack by rocket-propelled grenades. The latest killings brings the number of Japanese killed in Iraq to four. The reporters, a prominent 61-year-old and his nephew, were returning from Japan's military base in the southern town of Samawa. The area around Mahmudiya is one of the most dangerous spots in Iraq, with repeated militant attacks on US military convoys, foreign contractors and journalists. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fate of cleric in US stirs debate
Wanted in the United States on charges that carry the death penalty, radical Muslic cleric Abu Hamza is behind bars in London as the extradition process swings into action. He stands accused of a string of offences, including supporting a hostage-taking attack in Yemen in which four people died. US Attorney General John Ashcoft listed other accusations against Hamza at a news conference in New York. "Hamza is also charged with conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorists and providing and concealing material support and resources to terrorists and a foreign, terrorist organisation, specifically al-Qaeda," he said. In total, 11 terror-related charges are now facing the Egyptian-born cleric who was arrested by British police in a raid on his home. Human rights groups are concerned about the sentence he could be given if found guilty on the other side of the Atlantic. But extradition will only be allowed if authorities in the UK get assurances that capital punishment will not apply. "We have an agreement with the US, which I reaffirmed a year ago, that the death penalty would not be put in place," said Britain's Interior Minister David Blunkett. "Obviously it is up to them to determine an alternative sentence." Accused of plotting to create an al-Qaeda training camp in America, Abu Hamza denies any formal links to the network. He gained notoriety for his preaching in praise of Osama bin Laden and the September 11 attacks. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Clashes as EU-Latin American summit begins
Hundreds of anti-globalisation protestors have clashed with police as the EU-Latin America summit gets underway in Mexico. A handful of people were arrested and at least four police officers were injured. Students and activists from both sides of the Atlantic are taking part in an alternative social forum and plan a massive march for Friday. Leaders from 58 countries, including the newly enlarged European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean, are getting together in Guadalajara. Pre-summit talks have focused on two topics: firstly the substance and timing of a new bi-regional trade agreement; secondly, Iraq, with diplomats drafting a statement on the transfer of power at the end of next month. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, speaking after talks with Mexican leader Vicente Fox, said it was important to ensure a comprehensive handover of responsibilities to the Iraqi authorities. The European and Latin American leaders are also expected to stress the need for "multi-lateralism", a coded criticism of America's decision to go to war without UN backing. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 27 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ. Fears of pre-election terror strike in US
Is al Qaeda out to influence America's presidential election? That is the question being posed after a warning that Osama bin Laden's network is preparing to strike in the United States. US Attorney General John Ashcroft issued the alert at a news conference in Washington. "Credible intelligence from multiple sources indicates that al Qaeda plans to attempt an attack on the United States in the next few months," he said. No information was given on where or how any such attack might occur but the names and pictures of seven suspects were released, including one woman. John Ashcroft said al Queda may hope another attack might draw a response like that which followed the March 11 train bombings in Madrid, seen as having a major impact on Spain's general election. In the wake of the atrocity, American rail travellers are now liable to face security checks. But could the warning itself be a campaign ploy by a president whose ratings are falling? Some have their suspicions, six months ahead of America's vote. There are claims that the administration is simply covering itself in case of a future attack and it has been noted that there are no plans to raise the colour-coded terror alert level, which is currently set at yellow. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Last major Russian firm in Iraq pulls out after killings
The Russian firm, Interenergoservis, is withdrawing its remaining 234 employees from Iraq, after two of its workers were killed on Wednesday in Baghdad. A bus carrying 13 employees came under fire from gunmen in two cars. The attack happened at the entrance to Dora power station on the southern outskirts of Baghdad. The employees were being transferred, for safety reasons, to accommodation at the power station itself. As well as the two Russians, two Iraqis - reportedly the bus driver and a guard - were also killed. Six Russian workers were wounded in the ambush. Moscow says it is sending a plane to Baghdad on Thursday to evacuate a first batch of Interenergoservis staff. The company has been under tremendous pressure from the Russian government to quit Iraq. It evacuated over 100 workers after two of its engineers were held captive earlier this month and a colleague was shot dead. Iraq's electricity minister says the complete pullout will be devastating for the country's energy supplies. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Putin plans to double Russia's money
President Vladimir Putin has pledged to build a rich and modern country in his first State-of-the-Nation address since being re-elected. In a speech to both houses of the Federal Assembly in Moscow, he promised to press ahead with his goal of doubling the size of Russia's economy and improving the lot of the mostly impoverished nation. Last year Russia enjoyed steady growth of 7.3 percent but gross national income (GNI) levels continue to lag behind at only 1,800 euros. At the same time, men's life expectancy has slid to 61 with women's at 73. High energy costs account for most of Russia's growth - a dependence the World Bank has deemed excessive as a drop in prices could throw a big spanner in the President's plans to maintain growth. Putin has already stated that one of his priorities is to tighten controls on the exploitation of natural resources. Thus, investors were expecting clues about how he would dismantle huge monopolies like the power industry or indications about big business figures like former Yukos chief, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is awaiting trial on fraud and tax evasion charges. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Calls for aid in Caribbean as floods death toll soars
The international community is being urged to help Haiti and the Dominican Republic after devastating floods and landslides left nearly 2,000 people dead. The death toll rose dramatically after the discovery of more than 1,000 bodies in a town in southeastern Haiti where communications are poor. In Jimani, over the border in the Dominican Republic, a river overflowed its banks before dawn, sweeping away homes as people slept. Preventing the outbreak of disease is now one of the main preoccupations. Medicine, blankets and food are getting through to the Jimani area. But more aid is needed across the Caribbean island of Hispaniola which both stricken nations share. And the calls for assistance are now being answered. The European Union is among those responding. It is preparing an aid package worth some two million euros. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 26 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Blair promises Iraqi veto over multinational force
Iraq's interim government will have a veto over foreign troops' military operations from July. That assurance came from British prime minister Tony Blair, although the new draft UN resolution introduced by London and Washington does not include such a measure. Blair suggested this would be spelled out in an exchange of letters to be attached to the resolution. At his monthly news conference on Tuesday, Blair said: "If there's a political decision as to whether you go into a place like Falluja in a particular way, that has to be done with the consent of the Iraqi government. The final political control remains with the Iraqi government. That's what the transfer of sovereignty means. That doesn't mean to say that our troops are going to be ordered to do something that our troops don't want to do, that remains as it is now. But the transfer of sovereignty has to be real and genuine. And the issue of our troops remaining after then is one of necessity, because they have to remain until the Iraqi capability is sufficiently developed." There are currently 160,000 foreign troops in Iraq, including 138,000 US servicemen and 22,000 British soldiers. London has been in talks with its allies over sending reinforcements. Meanwhile Iraq's current Defence Minister Ali Allawi says US-led military forces will need to stay for "months rather than years". He claims Iraq could quickly assemble a security force from the remnants of Saddam Hussein's army, ahead of elections next January. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush outlines plan for Iraq handover
With little more than a month to go to the handover of power in Iraq, George W. Bush has made a keynote speech, in a bid to convince Americans that he has a workable plan. In the televised address, he outlined five key steps including progress towards a national election to bring forward new leaders empowered by the Iraqi people. "On June 30, the Coalition Provisional Authority will cease to exist and will not be replaced," he said, speaking at the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. "The occupation will end and Iraqis will govern their own affairs." To try to repair the battered US image in Iraq, the president announced radical plans for Abu Ghraib jail, the notorious detention centre where inmates were mistreated by members of the American military. "With the approval of the Iraqi government, we will demolish the Abu Ghraib prison, as a fitting symbol of Iraq's new beginning," he said. The speech was greeted with warm applause by Bush's audience but what is more crucial for the president in an election year in the US, is broader public opinion. On the streets of America, views remain mixed. "I would like for us to get out of Iraq but I think he is doing everything he can against some really difficult circumstances," said New Yorker Melvin Ott. "He is a great guy." But not everyone was convinced. Barb Shepard from Philadelphia said she wanted to see things come to an end soon. "I don't think we should have ever gone, personally. We had no reason to be there and we are doing more harm than good," she said. And the opinion polls offer little comfort to the president. One survey indicates that 61 percent of Americans now disapprove of the way he is handling the situation in Iraq. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq's holiest Shi'ite shrine damaged in attack
There have been angry protests on the streets of Najaf after the Imam Ali shrine, the holiest site for Iraq's Shi'ite majority, was damaged by missiles. Witnesses say rockets or mortars were fired, damaging part of an entrance to the sacred building. It is not clear who was responsible but Najaf has been the scene of fierce fighting between US forces and Shi'ite militiamen loyal to rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Earlier this month, the vast gilded dome of the shrine was hit in fighting. Then, the US military and Sadr's militia blamed each other for the damage. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 25 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Romanian truck blast kills up to 17
Up to 17 people have been killed in Romania after an overturned lorry carrying Ammonia exploded. Several others were injured. Most are in a critical condition, suffering from serious burns. The blast occurred in Mihailesti in the southeast of the country, around 70 kilometres from the capital Bucharest. Among the dead were two television journalists who had been filming fire crews tackling the flames from the stricken truck. At least five firefighters were killed as were a number of police officers. Mangled cars and debris were scattered hundreds of metres away. The explosion caused a 14 metre-wide crater and damaged several nearby houses. Authorities would not say why the rescue crews and TV reporters were allowed to approach the burning truck. They will now investigate whether the vehicle was transporting the chemicals legally. --------------------------------------------------------------------- French PM inspects airport devastation
French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has visited Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris, the day after part of a new terminal collapsed. He arrived as the official death toll from the tragedy was lowered from five to four. It follows initial confusion over remains found in the wreckage. The premier stressed the importance of establishing the causes of the accident for the safety of all passengers and transport using the airport. With questions being asked about the design and construction of the futuristic Terminal 2E, and whether it was built too fast, France has launched a criminal investigation. The terminal is now closed indefinitely and the head of the Paris airports operator has pledged that it will be torn down in its entirety if the building turns out to be unsafe. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 24 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Victims' lawyers start summing up in Dutroux case
In Belgium, the lawyers representing the families of some of the alleged victims of accused child killer Marc Dutroux are beginning their summing up today. Dutroux is accused of kidnapping and raping six girls and killing four of them. He has admitted some of the crimes but blames other suspects in the case for murdering the girls. However, the families and lawyers of the victims are divided over whether others were involved at all. One girl who says she was held maintains she saw only Dutroux during her captivity. The trial has lasted twelve weeks so far and heard 569 testimonies, including expert witnesses who described Dutroux as a psychopath and manipulator. The trial has attracted considerable media attention. One Belgian paper has described Dutroux as the most detested man in the country. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. US and Britain table resolution on Iraq's future
US President George Bush, a little ruffled around the edges after his mountain biking accident on Saturday, is hoping the wheel will not come off his plans to hand over power to an interim government in Iraq. Later, he will deliver a live televised speech in which he is expected to expand on his vision of Iraq's future. The US and Britain are to introduce a draft resolution at the UN Security Council detailing the scope of Iraqi sovereignty after the handover of power on June 30. Among the key issues the resolution is expected to deal with are how much power the interim Iraqi authority will have, who will command the multi-national forces in the country and who will control Iraq's oil revenues. But the coalition's plans for Iraq's future continue to be overshadowed by the slow drip of new photos depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of their US army jailers. With increasing disquiet over the mounting death toll among US forces in the country, it will be incumbent on Bush to convince his audience how he will end the violence in Iraq and deliver his long-stated objective of establishing democracy there. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East Israeli forces continue Gaza operation
They have pulled out of a key neighbourhood but Israeli forces' military operation in the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza goes on. Residents of the Tal al-Sultan district ventured out of their homes once their six-day siege was over to be greeted by scene of utter devastation. An Israeli military source said the withdrawal was part of a new deployment aimed at easing conditions and allowing residents to leave their homes to stock up on food, water and medicine. More than 40 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched the incursion, its largest in Gaza for years, to search for tunnels used to smuggle weapons in from neighbouring Egypt. Violence in Gaza has risen since Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon proposed evacuating troops and Jewish settlements. His so-called "unilateral disengagement" plan was rejected by members of the premier's Likud party in a referendum and he is due to present a revised version next week. Reports say it proposes a phased evacuation of settlements rather than uprooting all the enclaves simultaneously. ----------------------------------------------------------
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Last Updated 23 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Moore's Bush-bashing documentary wins at Cannes
Renegade filmmaker and political campaigner Michael Moore could not conceal his surprise when his savage attack on George W. Bush, Fahrenheit 9/11, grabbed the top prize at Cannes. In his victory speech he said he hoped the decision to give the documentary the Palme D'Or would win him the distribution deal in the US he has been denied."I have a sneaking suspicion thanks to what you have done here and the response from everyone at this festival...you will ensure that the American people will see this movie," he said. The film takes aim at Bush from every angle. It links his family to Osama bin Laden's, criticises the US president's war on terror and ridicules his tendency to take frequent vacations during his early months in office. The verdict by the jury, led by cult director Quentin Tarantino, is bound to be seen as a political decision in a US election year. Moore later predicted that some right-wing media would portray it as an award given by France, a staunch opponent of the US-led war in Iraq, rather than the work of an international jury. Moore said Tarantino had assured him that the politics of the film had not influenced the panel and instead that the award was for the style and craft of the movie. Moore hopes to release the film this summer. --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ. Leaked UK memo slams US tactics
Anti-war protesters have rallied outside the UK parliament as a leaked memo reveals frustration within Tony Blair's government at American tactics in Iraq. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered to condemn the abuse of Iraqi prisoners and call for troops to pull out of the country. Now The Sunday Times newspaper is reporting that a confidential note circulated in the British foreign office criticises the US army's heavy-handed approach in Falluja and Najaf. It goes on to say the Abu Ghraib scandal has "sapped the moral authority of the Coalition". The government has repeatedly denied there are differences of opinion between London and Washington over Iraq policy. The protesters say Blair should resign and Bush should face a war crimes trial. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 22 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Spain's royal wedding dazzles despite rain
Spain's Crown Prince Felipe has married former TV presenter Letizia Ortiz at the Roman Catholic Almudena Cathedral in Madrid. A torrential downpour did not dampen the wedding fever that has gripped the nation. It did mean Ortiz had to be driven to the Cathedral rather than walk down the red carpet as others in the wedding party had done. Felipe who has long been one of Europe's most eligible royals chose Ortiz, a 31 year old divorcee and news presenter, to be his bride. The televised ceremony was beamed to more than a billion people worldwide. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
The woman who will one day be queen of Spain was already a famous face even before she started dating the dashing prince. Letizia Ortiz spent her twenties climbing the media ladder as an ambitious reporter, working for some of the biggest names in Spanish broadcasting. She comes from a middle class family in Asturias, and her rise to prominence is being seen as a metaphor the country's move to a more modern and open society. Colleague Almudena Ariza said: "Letizia's a born journalist. She's very instinctive. In that sense she's like me - we'd rather work in the street looking for stories rather than being stuck in the office." Ironically though it was presenting the nightly news that Letizia became a household name. Ortiz has been married once before, but because she tied the knot in a civil ceremony it does not pose a problem with the Roman Catholic Church. --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ. Five dead in Baghdad blast
At least five people have been killed in a carbomb outside the home of Iraq's deputy interior minister in Baghdad. It is believed General Abdel Jabar al-Shikli was the intended target. He is reported to be in a stable condition in hospital. Four of those killed were Iraqi guards, the fifth an unidentified woman.The bomb exploded just before 8am local time as residents were leaving to go to work. It is not clear if the blast was the work of a suicide bomber or a controlled device. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Palestinians blame Israelis for girl's death
Israeli soldiers are being blamed for the killing of a young Palestinian girl during the ongoing incursion in Rafah. Following international pressure to end the fighting the Jewish State has begun to pull tanks and troops out from the refugee camp in Gaza. But it has said the operation is not over yet. The four year old died from two bullet wounds to her neck and head. Witnesses claim she was shot by Israeli soldiers. Her family say this was the first time she had left her home since Tuesday, when the Israeli military first entered the camp.The Israeli army has made no comment on the incident Her killing brings the Palestinian death toll since the incursion to at least 42. Israel launched the offensive to uncover arms smuggling tunnels in the area after it lost 13 soldiers in Gaza. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 21 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAQ. Italian troops will stay in Iraq
Both houses of the Italian parliament have voted in favour of keeping the country's troops in Iraq. A majority rejected the opposition motion calling for withdrawal, providing a much needed boost for Silvio Berlusconi. He has been facing mounting pressure after a young Italian soldier was killed in Nassiriya earlier this week. The prime minister was speaking just hours after talks with US President George W Bush. "The government doesn't intend to allow Italy to quit its responsibilities. We're proud of what Italy has done. Yesterday the United Nations secretary general publicly priased Italy and its military peace mission," he told legislators. Berlusconi says a new UN resolution on Iraq will be introduced in June changing the legal basis for foreign troops in the country. Meanwhile opposition on the streets to his pro-Washington policies remains vocal. Demonstrators in Rome were there to remind the prime minister that a majority of Italians are against his close backing of the US-led war. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chalabi fumes amid 'spy' claims
The man who used to be one of Washington's strongest allies in Iraq has reacted angrily to a police raid on his home in Baghdad. Officially the swoop was to arrest men wanted for stealing state-owned vehicles. But Ahmed Chalabi, who was once groomed to replace Saddam, says he is being marginalised for political ends. "I have opened up the investigation of the oil for food programme which casts doubt about the integrity of the UN here, they don't like this," he told a press conference. A report in the US suggests the falling out between Chalabi and the Bush administration goes far deeper. It is alleged he passed on sensitive intelligence to Iran; information which it is claimed put American lives at risk. Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress has responded by branding that report a smear campaign orchestrated by the CIA. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The last Spanish troops stationed in Iraq are making their way home
The pull-out has been going on for the past few weeks following the new Socialist government's decision to withdraw its 1,400-strong force. The remaining Spanish units have left their base at Diwaniya. Yesterday a convoy heading for Kuwait came under attack from Iraqi insurgents. One guerrilla was killed in the exchange and a Spanish soldier slightly wounded. The decision to send troops to Iraq was taken by the previous administration which was one of Washington's strongest supporters over the war. But opinion polls showed voters were against the idea and the Socialist opposition had signalled it would withdraw the contingent if elected. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- More prisoners freed from Abu Ghraib
A further six bus loads of prisoners from the now infamous Abu Ghraib jail near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad have been freed. The move is part of a programme to release some 450 inmates from the prison that has become synonymous with the torture and humiliation of detainees by coalition troops. The danger for Washington now is the stories the newly-released may tell. Already some have been relating how they were forced to eat pork and drink alcohol - both forbidden fruits to Muslims. Iraq was the focus of US President George W Bush's meeting with Republican congressional leaders yesterday. Secretary of State for Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, under attack over the abuse, has been briefing senators in a closed-door session. He says the scandal is diverting attention from other issues in Iraq. "An awful lot of us are spending an enormous amount of time on this subject and you've got the transition coming up here ahead of us, to sovereignty to the Iraqi people on or before June 30 and there is a great deal of work to be done," he said. But far from going away, the scandal is getting bigger. The latest pictures to emerge from the prison apparently show two soliders apparently gloating over a dead prisoner. And there have also been further accusations of degradation including sexual abuse and forcing prisoners to retrieve their food from toilets ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Middle East. Respite for Rafah as Israeli tanks pull out
Israel has begun a partial pullout of Rafah in the Gaza Strip after a three-day operation that has left the refugee camp looking like it has been struck by an earthquake. The ferocity of the attacks which have claimed 41 Palestinian lives and left 1,000 people homeless, have even caused Israel's normally staunch ally Washington to waver. The US abstained from a UN resolution condemning the violence. Normally it would have vetoed it. The raid began on Tuesday night, as Israeli deputy prime minister, Ehud Olmert, allegedly assured the US Israel would not demolish any more homes in the area. Israel sent in its forces after losing 13 soldiers last week. The Rafah Camp is close to the border with Egypt. Israel believes it is home to a number of militants and that underground tunnels have been built to smuggle arms from Egypt. Although some tanks have begun pulling out, Israeli soldiers are still reported to be on the streets and an army bulldozer was filmed crushing greenhouses. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Russia/EU hold first post-enlargement talks
Russian and European Union leaders have been meeting for the first time since the bloc's historic expansion to 25 states, including several eastern European nations. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the two parties should continue to cooperate. "The EU is now on the threshold of important decisions - it has to find the priorities of its institutional development," he told the summit. "Russia is also facing major challenges to modernise and develop its economic and social spheres. And I believe that on this important stage we should keep permanent dialogue and support each other". Irish premier Bertie Ahern, whose country currently holds the EU presidency said enlargement should enhance the bloc's partnership with Russia. Trade has topped the agenda with Moscow seeking EU backing to join the World Trade Organisation ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spain rolls out the red carpet for Royal wedding guests
The first royal guests have begun arriving in Spain for tomorrow's wedding of Prince Felipe. Among them, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, his wife, Princess Maxima and their daughter, Catharina-Amalia. The 1,400 guests also include royalty from a time gone by. Farah Pahlavi, and her late husband, the Shah of Iran, were forced into exile during the Islamic revolution in 1979. The festivities for Royal guests start this evening at a special dinner in the Pardo Palace. Diplomacy even reaches the kitchens. Of the three leading chefs brought in to prepare the meal, one is Basque, one a Catalan and one an Andalucian. Before the guests sit down to eat though, they will be served 15 aperitifs. The bride-to-be is former journalist, Letizia Ortiz, and in her home town of Oviedo the flags are out. Locals are hugely proud that one of their own is to become a Princess. But the biggest party will, of course, be in Madrid where last night traffic once again ground to a halt as locals and visitors filled the streets to gaze at the decorations. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 20 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- MidEast. Civilians hit in deadly Israeli strike in Gaza
Young children and teenagers are among the casualties in a deadly Israeli strike in the Gaza strip. Palestinian witnesses say tanks and helicopters opened fire on a demonstration in the Rafah refugee camp. Medics say at least 10 Palestinians have died, while some Israeli media put the death toll at more than 20. A further 50 or so people have been injured. The Israeli army has expressed what it calls its deep sorrow over the loss of civilian lives, but says it did not fire deliberately at the protestors. More than 30 Palestinians are now reported dead after an Israeli incursion into Rafah began yesterday. Witnesses say the latest strike targetted a protest march heading towards a neighbourhood where troops have been demolishing homes. Israeli forces say they are shutting down arms-smuggling tunnels. The Palestinian Authority called the action in Rafah a "war crime" and demanded international protection for Palestinians. Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurie, who is visiting Spain, said the Israeli Government "showed no desire for peace". In a carefully worded reaction, Washington voiced its concern over the latest deaths and requested a full explanation. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Market reformer elected as new Indian PM
In India, former finance minister Manmohan Singh has been elected Prime Minister by his Congress Party, after Italian-born Sonia Gandhi turned down the job. Singh, who will be the nation's first Sikh leader, was the architect of free market reforms during the last Congress-led government in the early 90s. Gandhi shocked her supporters when she announced she would not seek the post, despite leading the Congress Party to a surprise victory in recent elections. Her decision followed a stock market crash and Hindu nationalist outrage over the prospect of a foreign-born leader. Manmohan Singh is likely to have his work cut out for him - many Congress supporters feel cheated, saying their mandate was not meant to go to anyone else but Sonia Gandhi. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 19 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Maximum punishment for US soldier convicted of prisoner abuse
A US military tribunal has handed down the severest possible punishment to the first of several soldiers accused of abusing prisoners in Iraq. At his court martial in Baghdad, military police specialist Jeremy Sivits was found guilty on four charges including the maltreatment of prisoners. He has received a one year prison sentence and other sanctions. "The military judge found Specialist Sivits guilty of the charges in accordance with his pleas and sentenced him to reduction to Private E1, a bad conduct discharge and one year of confinement," said an army spokeswoman. Three other soldiers from Sivits' unit were also in court today for initial proceedings. They will plead at a later date. Sivits himself pleaded guilty to the charges. During his hearing he testified that other prison guards had beaten and sexually abused detainees. He is expected to give evidence in forthcoming trials. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Former Abu Ghraib inmates talk about torture
Former inmates at Baghdad's now infamous Abu Ghraib jail have been talking about their experience. Ahmed Khatab, a plumber from Baghdad, says he was seized last November by US soldiers who didn't give him any reason for his arrest. He was released two months later: "They took me to the toilet and put my head inside the bowl. They urinated on my head then dragged me along the floor," he said. "They told me to confess or they would bring my wife over and hang her in front of me." Hashim Lazim Mohsen was released in December after being imprisoned since August last year for possessing a weapon: "American soldiers told us to line up facing the wall and to masturbate. If we stopped, they kicked us and hit our heads against the wall. They also forced us to take part in some kind of pyramid game and took photos of us", he said. Twenty-one year old Private First Class Lynndie England, seen holding one naked Iraqi inmate on a leash in photos, is the youngest US soldier to be prosecuted. She said she was under orders - "doing our job". US president George W Bush says these are isolated incidents. However, the Red Cross and other human rights groups claim torture was systematic in Iraq and that 70 to 90 percent of detainees were innocent. The Pentagon denies accusations it sanctioned rough treatment to make people talk. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq: Berlusconi under pressure to bring soldiers home
As Italy mourns the first of its soldiers to die in combat since November in Iraq, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is coming under increasing pressure to withdraw Italian troops from the country. Corporal Matteo Vanzan died on Monday after clashes at the weekend in the southern city of Nassiriya. Five others were wounded in the gun battle with Shi'ite militiamen. Berlusconi says Italy remains committed to its mission
in Iraq but he is urging the White House to consider a greater role
for the UN. Berlusconi has been one of Bush's strongest allies over Iraq. But the Italian opposition and even some within the ruling coalition have been stepping up calls for their forces to be brought home. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Calls intensify for Italian troops in Iraq to come home
What started out as an humanitarian mission has now changed to a combat operation and Italian troops should not be involved. That is the claim being made by the left-wing opposition which wants Italian soldiers out of Iraq now. But the government insists the rules of engagement are robust enough to allow the military to defend itself. Since June last year, the 3,000-strong Italian force has been based at Nassiriya, under British command. Although 19 Italians were killed in a bombing last November, Sunday's attack by Iraqi Shi'ites heaped further pressure on the Italian's peacekeeping role. Soldiers cannot offer an adequate response because they are not equipped with heavy weapons. Military law expert, doctor Isidoro Palumbo, says they are also restricted by article 11 of the constitution which "prevents Italian troops from engaging in warfare to resolve external conflicts". The death of the first Italian combat casualty has led many to question whether the country can continue to take part in the rebuilding of Iraq. The armed forces chief, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, has defended the rules of engagement saying they are strong enough to guarantee soldiers' security. However, the American-appointed governor of Nassiriya, Barbara Contini, has called for change. She says Italian troops are under the command of the British, and as such are part of the occupation force. "It's fundamental that all countries in the US-led coalition have the same rules of engagement. It's the best way to ensure equal efforts and co-ordination", she added. But the Italian President, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, has already reminded the government that the army must respect the rules of a peacekeeping mission, or the country will be obliged to bring its soldiers back home. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 18 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraqis mourn assassinated leader
The funeral of the former head of the Iraqi Governing Council killed yesterday in a bomb attack has taken place in Baghdad. Izzadine Saleem, also known as Abdel Zahraa Othman, died when his convoy was blown up at a US checkpoint in Baghdad's Green Zone. The bomb was hidden inside his Volkswagen. At least another six people died in the attack including the suicide bomber. More than a dozen people were injured. The Governing Council has selected Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, a Sunni Muslim civil engineer from Mosul, to replace Saleem. The attack was claimed by the previously unknown Arab Resistance Movement on its website. It highlights the growing threat to security ahead of the handover of power to Iraqis on June 30. Iraqi and coalition forces have vowed to keep to the transfer date despite the assassination. With just six weeks to go, the US, the UN and their Iraqi partners still have not agreed on the structure of a new Iraqi government, and there seems to be no end in sight to a revolt by rebel Shi'ites in the south of the country. --------------------------------------------------------------------- UK to send extra troops to Iraq
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has left Turkey after his short visit and says 3,000 extra troops are to go to Iraq. The visit took in many issues but Iraq was dominant following the killing of the leader of the US-appointed Governing Council in Baghdad. The statement comes as press rumours grow that Britain and the US are preparing an exit strategy for their troops but Blair said there would be "no cutting and running...until the job was done". Blair returns to a Britain also buzzing with rumours about his continuing leadership, which his Labour party seems unable to kill off with shows of unity. Despite domestic gains in economic and social spheres, Blair's legacy now seems likely to be defined by Iraq. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Russian hostages safe in iraq
Two Russian engineers abducted earlier this month in Iraq have been released. A local sheikh helped negotiate the release of the men who were kidnapped on May 10 on the outskirts of Baghdad. Their vehicle had been ambushed and one of their colleagues shot dead. The released pair say they have been well treated by their captors and bear no grudges against Iraqis. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Berlusconi under pressure as dead soldier brought home
The body of an Italian soldier killed in the latest upsurge in violence in Iraq has arrived home. The coffin was met in Rome by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. The death has increased pressure on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to distance himself from US policy in Iraq. He is meeting President Bush in Washington later on Tuesday. Berlusconi's critics and some of his partners say he must use the meeting to at least voice concern over recent events in Iraq. A new opinion poll shows that six out of 10 Italians want the nation's troops withdrawn from Iraq before the end of June, a call rejected by the government. Talking to the media during his flight to the US, Berlusconi said he would push for public trials in the prison abuse scandal and a breakthrough in policy. He also emphasised his support for UN involvement in Iraq, and said he planned to meet Secretary General Kofi Annan during his US visit. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Gandhi turns down Indian leadership
Sonia Gandhi has rejected the nomination to be India's next prime minister. Speaking to an emergency meeting of her Congress party members she said: "I must humbly decline the post." It follows fierce controversy over her foreign birth. Gandhi was born in Italy but has held Indian citizenship since 1983. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), defeated in elections last week, launched a smear campaign against the 57-year old widow of murdered former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. She reportedly said the move was in the interest of the nation and that she had grown tired of the personal attacks against her nationality. Her supporters have pleaded her to change her mind, but she said they must accept her decision and recognise it will not be reversed. Gandhi would have become the nation's first foreign-born premier. Following her surprise withdrawal, markets soared just a day after the Bombay Stock Exchange experienced its biggest one-day dive in its 129 year history. The Congress Parliamentary Party must now elect a new leader, earlier reports indicated Gandhi was encouraging former finance minister Manmohan Singh to take the post of prime minister. He was the architect of India's economic liberalisation program. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MidEast. Palestinian death toll mounts in Israeli crackdowns
Nineteen Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in some of the heaviest raids in years. The Rafah Refugee camp in the south of the Gaza Strip has been the target of continuous attacks as troops hunt down suspected arms smugglers. It is part of the Jewish State's plans to crackdown on militants suspected of bringing in arms from neighbouring Egypt through hidden tunnels. Bulldozers and tanks have been destroying houses which Israel says are being used to store the weapons. But in the process, it is claimed hundreds of innocent civilians are being made homeless. There has been an international outcry over Israel's methods - the United Nations and the European Union have expressed alarm and some aid agencies fear a humanitarian crisis. The US said that although it was troubling, it supports
what it calls "Israel's right to defend itself from terrorists." ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 17 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- MidEast. Israeli demolitions "tantamount to ethnic cleansing"
Amid world wide condemnation, Israel is going ahead with its controversial mass demolition of Palestinians homes. More people face being made homeless as the Jewish State attempts to widen a buffer zone between the Rafah refugee camp and the border with Egypt - by tearing down homes it says belong to militants. Israel claims fighters are using underground tunnels from its southern neighbour to smuggle weapons. The Jewish State says it will first target militants and then buildings which, it says, house stocks of weapons. UN relief officials estimate that Israeli armoured bulldozers have levelled more than 80 buildings in the Rafah refugee camp in recent days - leaving around 1,000 people homeless. That figure has been disputed by the Israeli army. The United Nations, the European Union and the United States have all spoken out against the plans. In a rare move, the Palestinian prime minister called for American intervention, but his cries fell on deaf ears. Forced to leave their homes with little warning, families fled with few possessions. Last week, nearly a thousand people were made homeless when dozens of dwellings were pulled down. Officials have also spoken of digging a moat at the border area in an attempt to block the smugglers. Israel's growing increasingly anxious after 13 soldiers were killed in ambushes in the Gaza Strip last week, the highest figure since 2002. The future of hundreds of homes hangs in the balance after Israel's Supreme Court cleared the way for further demolitions in the flashpoint zone on Sunday. The Palestinian cabinet described the move as tantamount to "ethnic cleansing". ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 16 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Rumsfeld accused of supporting prisoner abuse methods
Further damning claims connected to the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal are pointing the finger of blame directly at the American defence secretary. The New Yorker magazine reports Donald Rumsfeld gave the go ahead to use unconventional interrogation methods, previously used on suspected Al Qaeda members. It follows Rumsfeld's surprise visit to Abu Ghraib last week, the jail at the centre of the controversy. The Pentagon has rejected the allegations, calling them "outlandish and conspiratorial." Prisoners at the US-controlled Baghdad jail were photographed in humiliating poses and were forced to engage in sex acts. The scandal has severely damaged Arab support for the US mission in Iraq, and has dented the morale of soldiers. So far, seven have been charged in connection with the abuse. Rumsfeld has refused to step down after repeated calls from leading newspapers and some Democrats.
Powell apologises for Iraqi prisoner abuse
During a trip to Jordan, US Secretary of State Colin Powell supported President George Bush's apology to prisoners abused in the now notorious Iraqi jail Abu Ghraib. "With respect to Abu Ghraib, I think I made it clear what my feelings were," he said. "The president has expressed an apology on behlaf of the nation. We reinforce that apology. We were devastated by what happened at Abu Ghraib. We apologize to those abused in such an awful manner." It came a day after Powell angered Arab businessmen and politicians during a speech. They questionned whether the US would investigate and prosecute those responsible. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MidEast. Israelis demonstrate in support of Gaza pull out
More than a hundred thousand people have rallied in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv demanding the Jewish state pull out from Gaza. The killing of thirteen soldiers by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip this week has deepened support for the Israeli Prime Minister's disengagement plan. It has been stalled by hardliners in Ariel Sharon's Likud party who voted down the proposal in a referendum. Opposition Labour party leader Shimon Peres addressed the crowds in the city's main square saying their numbers far outstripped the 60,000 Likud members who blocked the plan. He also voiced support for both the former Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and current premier Ahmed Qurie saying both men want peace with Israel. Many Israelis view Gaza as a costly and dangerous liability but others believe the withdrawal would amount to giving in to terrorism. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Israel launches fresh attacks on Gaza
Israelis missiles have struck the offices of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement in the early hours of this morning. No-one was inside the building that is located in a residential neighbourhood, though several passerbys, including two children were injured. A second strike targeted the offices of a newspaper that supports the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Part of the building was destroyed, though there were no immediate reports of casualties. ----------------------------------------------------------
Last Updated 15 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Spain steps up security ahead of royal wedding
Amid fears of a terrorist attack ahead of its royal wedding, Spain has stepped up its border control checks. Madrid has suspended the 'Schengen agreement', the world's largest passport-free zone, which allows nations to remove their internal borders allowing people to travel from country to country without checks. So any citizens from Schengen visa countries must now present an identification card or passport at control areas. Security is super-tight in the run up to the marriage of Prince Felipe. Thirtyheads of state and dozens of Royal families are due to attend. The 35-year-old heir to the throne is said to be one of Europe's most eligible bachelors. He announced his engagement to television journalist Letizia Ortiz last November. The cathedral in Madrid where the ceremony will take place has been closed ahead of next Saturday's wedding. Authorities are taking no chances. They will close airspace over Madrid with planes and helicopters surveying the skies. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 14 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Rumsfeld visit leaves Iraqis cold
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's surprise visit to Iraq yesterday was to see first hand the Baghdad prison at the centre of the prisoner abuse crisis that may have the potential to blow US Iraq policy off-course. He was also there to try to boost troop morale. US soldiers may feel better, but the world's journalists in Iraq seemed to find it difficult to find any Iraqis who felt more positive after his words that promised there would be no cover-up and that those responsible would be punished. "We wonder if there are such things in America's jails. Do they do the same things to prisoners there, or just in Iraq?," asked one man in Baghdad. "Do the American people accept this? It's an inhuman and unacceptable situation and we now call for the release of all detainees," said another. It seems American forces will now have a mountain to climb in recapturing hearts and minds in Iraq and in reaffirming their credentials as liberators, not conquerors. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sonia Ghandi proves punters wrong with election victory
Even some of her closest colleagues privately said it was 'mission impossible'. Despite being critised for her Italian origins and lack of charisma, Sonia Ghandhi has led her Congress Party to a surprise victory in elections in India. Those who said the widow of the assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi had no chance of winning are now being forced to eat their words. Born and raised in Italy until the age of about 20, Ghandi struck a chord with rural people living in poverty, left behind by the nation's economic boom. It is a humiliating defeat for Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who has been in politics for half a century, and who has always counted on his strong popularity. Analysts say his "India Shining" slogan backfired; while it was true for those benefitting from the boom in computers and communications, there were too many who wondered why the light was not shining on them. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 13 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- MidEast. Both sides mourn dead in latest Middle East violence
Another night of bloodshed in the Middle East. The Israeli army has withdrawn from Gaza City after two days of fighting in which at least 16 Palestinians and 11 Israelis have been killed. In the latest violence, at least seven Palestinians died in a helicopter raid by the Israeli army on the refugee camp of Rafah last night. The attack came in retaliation for an ambush on an Israeli military vehicle which killed five soldiers. The militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the assault, which it said came in revenge for the recent killing of its leaders by Israel. Israeli tanks rolled out of the city just after midnight after spending a day looking for the remains of six of their soldiers killed when their vehicle hit a landmine during a raid in Gaza City on Tuesday. The body parts had been confiscated by Palestinian militants. The withdrawal came after Egyptian negotiators succeeded in reaching an agreement with militants to return the remains if Israel withdrew from Gaza City. They were brought by ambulance and handed over in a box to the Israelis who were waiting with a jeep at the Erez Crossing just north of the Gaza Strip. Palestinian security officials said they had obtained them under order from Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, after militants surrendered them to Egyptian mediators. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sacked Israeli Blackhawk pilot talks to EuroNews
A former Israeli military pilot has spoken out about his decision to refuse to carry out missions in the Palestinian territories. Jonathon Shapira has given an exclusive on-camera interview to EuroNews, to talk about a protest letter that led to his dismissal. He was one of 31 pilots who wrote a letter to military commanders. "I was told as an officer, as a pilot, as a soldier, and as a citizen, that the Israeli defence force will fight against the enemy, not against civilians, not against innocent people, not children, not women. This is not what is happening now," said Shapira. The ex-captain joins a growing list of Israeli military personnel refusing to undertake missions. Shapira was asked by EuroNews why he agreed to give an exclusive interview. "It is important to know that the phenomenon of refusing in Israel is getting bigger and bigger and I think it is very important that people all over the world and especially in Europe will be aware of the fact that we are here in Israel trying to fight against the occupation in our way of refusing," he said. EuroNews will broadcast the full interview with Jonathon Shapira every hour from 21:15 on Friday, Central European Time. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Berg murder turns heat on Pentagon
After the revulsion, it is now the anger of family and friends of the butchered Nick Berg coming to the fore in America. The body of the telecoms businessman, whose videoed beheading by an al-Qaeda cell in Baghdad was all over the world's media on Tuesday night, is now back in the USA. The Berg family has already sued Defence Minister Donald Rumsfeld, saying thePentagon was responsible for their son's disappearance. They are unlikely to be moved by their President's reaction after George Bush said it was "unacceptable". Berg's father says his son's detention by security forces in Iraq prior to his disappearance meant he lost contact for two weeks and was therefore unable to help his son leave custody and the country. The website that broke the video is now shut down, but al-Qaeda outlets are still out there in cyberspace. The Americans are offering a reward of 10 million dollars for the capture of the executioner's presumed leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, accused of a string of murders and attacks in Iraq. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Battisti must go back says France's DPP
France's Director of Public Prosecutions says former leftist militant, Cesare Battisti, should be extradited to Italy where he has been sentenced to life in prison for four murders. For more than a decade, the 49-year-old has been protected by an anti-extradition laws. But the DPP now says Italy's demand must be respected. Judges will rule on the affair in a few weeks but their decision could be overruled by the Prime Minister. The case has always been a bête noir between France and Italy. Bettisi walked free from jail back in March after being incarcerated following Italy's second extradition request. On his release, Battisti made it clear that he had had enough as he called on France "to keep its word." The promise he was referring to was made by Francois Mitterand shortly after he became President in 1981. At that time, as many as 300 Italians fled to France to escape the long arm of the law. After lengthy negotiations between the Italian refugees and the French government, Mitterand effectively granted them asylum, promising to give safe shelter to those who had left, what he called the "infernal machine" without blood on their hands. The infernal machine was the Red Brigade terrorism, which bloodied the streets of Italy during the 70's. A conflict that climaxed in 1978 with the assassination of Christian Democrat leader, Aldo Moro - a murder blamed on PAC, an armed communist proletarian group believed to be headed by Battisti. But Battisti denies any involvement with the movement which also claims it had nothing to do with the murder of four people between 1978 and 1979. After a spell in Mexico, Battisti took refuge in France in 1990 and developed a career as a crime writer. In his absence, a Milan court sentenced him to life without parole. A decision his lawyer, Irene Terrel, claims Italy will not allow to be challenged in the courts. Cesare Battisti is considered by many Italians to be a murderer, but he has many high profile supporters in France who will do everything possible to prevent his extradition. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 12 M ay, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Web video shows US hostage "beheaded"
Video footage posted on the website of an Islamic militant group purports to show an American hostage being beheaded. . The website said the killing was carried out by Al Qaeda's Abu Musab al-Zarquwi in revenge for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US troops. The man identified himself as Nick Berg. Seconds later he was thrown to the floor and behead by one of the men using a large knife. There has been no independent confirmation that the video is genuine. Berg's decapitated body was found in Baghdad on Saturday. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Amnesty puts UK government under pressure over Iraq
There is more pressure on the British Government as it tries to limit the fallout from the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. Amnesty International claims UK soldiers have killed civilians who posed no apparent threat. In a newly released report it also accuses the government of failing to investigate properly the deaths of up to 37 civilians over the past year. Amnesty spokeswoman Lesley Warner said: "We need to see an independent, thorough investigation into these allegations, and that doesn't mean just using the army to investigate itself. It means actually including some civilians in that process, and it means ensuring that the process is transparent." Under the spotlight are the deaths of civilians including: Hanan Saleh Matrud, an eight-year-old girl allegedly killed by British troops; Hassan Hamid Naser, an unemployed man who was shot dead at a protest over fuel shortages in Basra; and Ghanem Kadhum Kati was said to have been unarmed when he was allegedly shot in the back outside his house during a wedding. Amnesty claims investigations that have been carried out have failed to ensure that justice was done and seen to be done in the eyes of the victims' families. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Failure from top down led to US abuse', says army general
A catalogue of blunders lay behind the abuse by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, according to a US army general. Major General Antonio Taguba was giving evidence at a Senate hearing on the scandal, following Monday's all-day grilling of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Asked to describe in his own words what caused the abuse, Taguba replied: "Failure in leadership, from the brigade commander on down, lack of discipline, no training whatsoever and no supervision. Supervisory omission was rampant." But Taguba, who is the author of a Pentagon report on the mistreatment, said he had not found evidence of a policy or direct order about the abuse. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Market bomb in Iraq kills three, while Russians kidnapped
At least three people have died after a bomb exploded in a crowded market in the northern Iraq oil city of Kirkuk. The attack, in a Kurdish neighbourhood, was timed to cause maximum damage. Elsewhere the fighting continues between US troops and militia loyal to a radical Shi'ite cleric. American troops have launched a crackdown on Moqtada al-Sadr's strongholds, and in Baghdad they used tanks to flatten his offices. Al-Sadr is thought to be holed up in the southern holy Shi'ite city of Najaf. He is apparently coming under increasing pressure and four of his aides have recently been arrested. Meanwhile, Arabic television station al-Jazeera has aired a tape from an unknown Iraqi group purportedly vowing to kidnap and kill Arab and foreign workers. One Russian worker has been killed and two taken hostage in Baghdad, according to Russian news agencies. They work for the same contractor as the eight people briefly held last month. In Falluja, masked insurgents took to the streets when a US marine convoy conducted its first joint patrol with Iraqis in over a month. It follows weeks of violence which left hundreds of locals dead. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Four killed in Glasgow blast
At least four people have been killed in an explosion at a factory in the Scottish city of Glasgow. Rescue workers are trying to free several other people trapped in the rubble of the building. More than 20 people were injured in the blast. Emergency services in the city have been mounting one of biggest operations in years. Specialist crews trained in working in earthquake zones have been brought to the scene. It is believed they have been in contact with people trapped in the debris and that some of those have even called relatives on their mobile phones. The factory in the northwest of the city, where 50 people worked, manufactured piping and other plastic products. At the moment the cause of the explosion is not yet known. One report suggested a gas leak may have been to blame but officials said there was no smell of gas in the area. There has also been no evidence of terrorist involvement. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MidEast. Teenager dead in Gaza revenge strike
A Palestinian teenager has been killed and five other people injured in a helicopter missile strike in the latest incident of tit-for-tat violence in the Middle East. The Israeli attack on a car came in response to an ambush in the Gaza Strip earlier today, which left six soldiers dead. It is part of the fresh cycle of violence that followed a vote earlier this month by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's right-wing Likud party against his plan to pull out of Gaza. Six Israeli soldiers were killed this morning in the deadliest ambush in 18 months. Their armoured troop carrier, which was loaded with explosives for demolishing weapons workshops, ran over a powerful mine and was blown to pieces as forces battled gunmen in the Zeitoun area of Gaza City. The Palestinian militant group Hamas has claimed responsibility. Afterwards Hamas gunmen displayed what they said were artefacts and even bodyparts in a bloodied plastic bag, collected from the scene of the explosion. Today's ambush will be a reminder of the high cost of Gaza's hard-to-defend settlements. A new poll reaffirmed that most Israelis were willing
to give up the impoverished coastal strip. ----------------------------------------------------------
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Last Updated 11 May, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MidEast. Palestinians and Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza
Israeli soldiers have raided Gaza City, killing at least three Palestinians. Several Israeli troops were also killed after their vehicle was blown up by a landmine. The explosion took place in the Zeitoun area. Hamas have claimed responsibility for the bomb. Violence in the Gaza Strip has escalated since Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's right-wing Likud party voted against his Gaza pull-out plan on May 2. In Gaza City, Israeli troops, backed by tanks and helicopter gunships, fought gunmen in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, which is a stronghold of the Hamas group. More than 20 people were wounded. The military operation began when Israeli troops sped
into Zeitoun in civilian taxis and jeeps. Israeli Army radio reported
that five workshops suspected of being used to make Qassam rockets
were destroyed. Troops surrounded homes belonging to suspected militants
from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group, blowing off the doors of several
buildings. The Palestinian Authority says it condemns "the Israeli
escalation of military power in the strongest possible terms". Iraq. Claims that dogs were used to 'attack' Iraqi captives
More graphic images of Iraqi prisoners being allegedly abused by American soldiers have surfaced. The latest show a naked detainee apparently being threatened by dogs in Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. A reporter from the New York Times said it was one of a series of 20 pictures which appear to show the dogs attacking the man, who is later seen wounded lying on the ground, next to a pool of blood. Other pictures seem to indicate CIA officers may have been involved too. The first of seven American soldiers charged with abusing detainees will be court martialled later this month in a public trial. The 24-year-old is alleged to have taken many of the photos of abuse in the Iraqi jail. He is charged with conspiracy to maltreat detainees and cruelty and mistreatment. Sivits was trained as a mechanic. Some military experts, including Major General William Nash, claim it is this lack of appropriate preparation which is part of the problem: "There are many indications of a lack of proper training after mobilisation. I do see failures of leadership." President George W.Bush will visit the Pentagon later to support his defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld who is facing a chorus of calls for his resignation. And nowhere are they louder than in Iraq itself. A number of former prisoners spoke out yesterday about the physical and psychological torture they allegedly suffered at the hand of their American jailers. --------------------------------------------------------------------- First joint US-Iraqi patrol rolls into Fallujah
US marines are back in Fallujah for the first time in more than a month, putting a shaky truce with insurgents to the test. However, this time the soldiers are accompanied by Iraqi security forces, who will eventually take over control of the restive town. Shooting has been heard, although it is hoped the gunfire might be in joy rather than anger at the first joint patrol. The Americans have entrusted the former Iraqi general Muhammad Latif to take charge of security in Fallujah, once his forces prove they can handle the task.
New threat to Iraq's oil industry
Iraq's oil industry, which is vital to the country's economic recovery, has been targetted by saboteurs once again. Exports from southern terminals have been reduced by half for the time being following a bomb attack on a pipeline. Emergency crews struggled to contain the blaze over the weekend at the Faw peninsula. It is the export point for most of Iraq's 1.8 million barrels per day. Oil is Iraq's only means of earning foreign currency. Around two weeks ago coalition forces foiled an attempt by suicide bombers in boats to blow up oil tankers off Basra terminal. Violence in the region, which is under British military control, has been increasing in recent weeks. Iraq's oil infrastructure is regarded as a prime target by militants fighting the US-led occupation. Arabic language station Al Jazeera has broadcast a tape which it said came from an unknown Iraqi group. The speaker warns of kidnapping Arab workers, especially Kuwaitis, working in Basra. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush promises "full accounting" for prisoner abuse
George Bush has expressed his strong support for his beleaguered Defence Secretary. After talks with his National Security Team at the Pentagon, the US President said Donald Rumsfeld was doing a "superb job" and promised a "full accounting" of alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners by their American guards. "Because America is committed to the equality and dignity of all people, there will be a full accounting for the cruel and disgraceful abuse of Iraqi detainees," Bush said in remarks at the Pentagon. "The conduct that has come to light is an insult to the Iraqi people and an affront to the most basic standards and decency." The president met with Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and top US military officers after Bush publicly apologised last week for the scandal, triggered by photographs of naked Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad. "The Iraqi people need to know that our coalition is fully committed to their independence, that we are fully committed to their national dignity," he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------- US dismisses Sadr's threat of new offensive
Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada Sadr has ordered his militia to launch a new offensive against US-led occupying forces. It comes after aircraft and tanks flattened his office in Baghdad's Sadr City district. The US military says 35 Shi'ite fighters died in the sprawling slum overnight. Sadr's chief aide has talked of the insurgency entering a second phase of resistance but US commanders - helped by rival Shi'ite leaders - sound increasingly confident of containing the uprising. Spurred on by mounting irritation with Sadr among Shi'ite elders, forces are massing around his stronghold of Najaf. They have also been re-taking key positions across southern Iraq and a US convoy rolled into the holy city of Kerbala today. Meanwhile, in Kirkuk, gunman have killed two foreigners and an Iraqi. A truce in the Sunni Muslim city of Fallujah is holding. Earlier a joint patrol of US soldiers and Iraqi security forces drove through the troubled city. However, scenes of armed guerrillas cheering the convoy's departure suggest peace remains fragile. The former Iraqi general Muhammad Latif will take over security in the city once his forces have proved they are up to the job. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Government has doubts over UK abuse photos
The British government has cast doubt on photographs allegedly showing British soldiers abusing an Iraqi prisoner. But Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told parliament two other cases of mistreatment by UK troops could soon lead to prosecution. He said any abuse is very much in the minority: "The unauthorised actions of a very few must not be allowed to undermine the outstanding efforts of tens of thousands of British soldiers and civilians who have served with dignity, compassion and sensitivity for over a year." Prime minister Tony Blair apologised yesterday for any abuse carried out by British troops but stopped short of admitting mistreatment had taken place. The Daily Mirror newspaper printed photos apparently showing soldiers urinating on a prisoner and beating him. Hoon, however, questioned their authenticity saying there were strong indications the vehicle in which the pictures were taken was not in Iraq. The paper has since published evidence from a soldier who said he had witnessed savage beatings of Iraqis. Both Amnesty International and the Red Cross say British authorities were told of serious complaints months ago. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Assassinated Chechen President buried in large ceremony
The funeral of the assassinated Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov has taken place. Some 3,000 people turned out for a traditional ceremony at the base of Kadyrov's clan, a town 50 kilometres south east of Grozny. His killing in a bomb explosion yesterday has left a power vacuum in the rebel province which is fighting Moscow's rule. Among six others who died were a Reuters reporter, a young girl, a close aide of Kadyrov and two bodyguards. More than 50 others were injured, including the commander of Russian forces in the region. The former Muslim cleric was killed when a bomb exploded at a ceremony in the capital Grozny. People had gathered to celebrate the 1945 victory over Nazi Germany. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 10 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Putin vows revenge for Kadyrov assassination
In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been paying his respects to his Chechen counterpart Akhmed Kadyrov, who died in a bomb attack, by meeting his son Ramzan The president's death is both a personal and professional blow for Ramzam, as he was in charge of his father's personal security. Putin had earlier said that retribution would be inevitable for those who had carried out the attack. He paid tribute to President Kadyrov saying that he had shown there was a big division between moderate Muslims in Chechnya and the separatists he described as terrorists. Victory Day celebrations - which mark the Soviet 1945 victory over Nazi Germany in WWII - continued in the Russian capital but under tight security. A cordon was immediately thrown around red square - anyone wishing to enter had to pass through a metal detector for concealed weapons. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Suspected suicide bombing planners arrested in Italy
Italian police have detained a number of suspected Islamic militants - believed to be recruiting suicide bombers. Officials say the five men from Tunisia and Algeria were planning attacks against Italian and European interests in Iraq. They were arrested in the Florence area as part of a year long investigation into alleged terrorist cells. The suspects are thought to belong to the Ansar al-Islam group, a splinter from the Kurdish Islamic movement and believed by some to have links to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda Network. Last November, Italian police smashed a Europe-wide network suspected of recruiting Mujahideen on behalf of Ansar al-Islam, five suspected ring leaders were detained. More than 70 people were arrested last year on suspicion of links to international terrorism. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Lithuanians flock to London
Vilnius airport is busier than ever. There are 12 flights a week from the Lithuanian capital to London and they are selling out three weeks in advance. A third of all tickets bought are one-way only. Many of the young travellers are not going on holiday. They are looking for a job. "I will return because of my studies. But it depends on the job. I'll have to see," said one of those setting off. The reason for the rush is simple. People are determined to make the most of their new status as EU citizens. While flight sales to London are up 150 percent on the same time last year, bus services are doing a roaring trade too. And from June there will be direct flights to Dublin. Britain and Ireland are the only EU member states offering free access to the labour market to people from the eight eastern European countries now part of the bloc, although they are restricting the welfare benefits they can receive. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Royal launch for Forum Barcelona
Spain's King Juan Carlos has officially opened Forum Barcelona - 141 days of debate, entertainment and exhibitions that aim to promote peace, sustainable development and cultural diversity. More than 3,000 guests joined members of the royal family at a lavish inaugural ceremony - a fitting start for what organisers are hailing as a unique opportunity to make a better world Between now and September 26, visitors to Spain's dynamic second city will be able to see live music, dance, theatre and circus performances from many countries and exhibitions on themes such as language and poverty. There will also be debates with a big-name line up of speakers ranging from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "Lara Croft" star and goodwill ambassador for the UN refugee agency, Angelina Jolie. While not everyone living in Barcelona has been won over by the idea of the Forum, those behind the event believe it will make as much of a splash as the 1992 Olympics hosted by the city, with up to five million visitors forecast as well as the creation of thousands of jobs. ---------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 9 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- German police arrest "Sasser" suspect
An 18-year-old arrested by German police has admitted creating the "Sasser" computer worm. The computer programmer was detained in the northern state of Lower Saxony yesterday, but he has since been released. At the moment police have given no more information. The Sasser worm, which struck a week ago, created havoc and is believed to have affected as many as 18 million computers across the globe and forced some businesses to close temporarily. Home computers, government agencies, hospitals, airlines and banks were all affected. Computers were forced into an unstoppable pattern of shutting down and then rebooting. Although annoying, experts say it does no long term harm. Sasser is the third major internet infection this year following Mydoom and Bagle. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Breakthrough in space travel
Scientists have made a major breakthrough in their search for a reusable unmanned space craft. From a runway in northern Sweden, the 'Phoenix' was towed by a helicopter to an altitude of 2,400 metres and then released. The prototype made a perfect landing after travelling at speeds of up to 450 kilometres per hour - making its first fully automatic flight a success. Scientists from the European Aeronautic Defence and Space company were overjoyed at the result, and will now carry out more tests at higher altitudes. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 8 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Rumsfeld accepts responsibility for prisoner abuse
The US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has taken responsibility for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers and apologized to the victims. He also warned that more damning photographs and videotape existed, as he appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee. "These events occured on my watch. As Secretary of Defence, I am accountable for them and I take full responsibility," he said. Protesters interrupted the proceedings, demanding his dismissal. But Rumsfeld, lacking his trademark bravado, was not ready to give in to calls for him to fall on his sword. "Needless to say, if I felt I could not be effective, I would resign in a minute," he said. "I would not resign simply because people try to make a political issue out of it." His future on the line, this was one of the most difficult days in the political career of Donald Rumsfeld. The defence secretary, however, appears to have done enough to hang onto his job, in the short term at least. --------------------------------------------------------------------- More claims of abuse at Abu Ghraib
Notorious for torture under Saddam Hussein, Abu Ghraib prison is now widely seen as a hell-hole of abuse by the Americans. Iraq's largest jail, outside Baghdad, is the focus of world attention and further shocking revelations of what went on within its walls could soon be on the way. One man who says he knows only too well what horrors were carried out behind closed doors at the prison is Iraqi journalist and former inmate Suhaib al-Baz. Arrested six months ago while reporting on clashes between the coalition and Iraqi fighters, he says prison guards organised a daily competition to see who could take the most gruesome picture of the torture of detainees. "The winner's photo would be stuck on a wall and also put on their laptop computers as a screensaver," he said. Although his claims cannot be independently verified, the US military says it will investigate. And there are more allegations of humiliation. Hashim Lazim Mohsen says he and others were subject to enforced masturbation and physical abuse. He says they were made to take part in the so-called "pyramid game," referring to detainees being forced to lie naked on top of one another. "If we fell, we had to try again," he said. "We remained like that for 30 minutes and they took pictures of us." Adding to the photographs and testimonies, there are now revelations from the International Committee of the Red Cross, which visited detention centres last year. It says the abuse of Iraqis, in some cases, was "tantamount to torture." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Al-Sadr defiant as clashes continue
A defiant Muqtada al-Sadr has given a weekly sermon in front of his faithful in the Iraqi city of Kufa. Despite the presence of hundreds of American troops nearby he launched into a stinging attack on the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison. Al-Sadr was wearing a white cloth over his shoulders to symbolise his readyness for martyrdom. For the moment US forces are keeping their distance, despite an order to capture or kill the radical Shi'ite leader. Instead of launching raids into sensitive religious areas they have been slowly tightening their grip around Najaf. Witnesses say seven people were killed in a shootout in the holy city last night. Moderate Shi'ite leaders, working with the US-led coalition, have urged al-Sadr's followers to disarm and resolve the standoff before sovereignty is officially handed over to Iraqis at the end of June. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Karachi mosque blast kills at least 15, wounds over 100
A suicide attacker has detonated a powerful bomb in a crowded Shi'ite mosque in the Pakistani city of Karachi. Police say at least 15 people were killed and more than 125 wounded. More than 100 people were packed into the mosque for Friday afternoon prayers when the blast rocked the building in Karachi's business district. "It appears to be a suicide attack," said provincial security adviser Aftab Sheikh. "The explosives were attached to the body of the bomber who was apparently in the third row of worshippers." Angry Shi'ite Muslim protesters have gathered to demand protection for their community. Pakistan has long been troubled by violence between the minority Shi'ite population and militant Sunnis. In March, 44 people were killed and 150 wounded in an attack on a Shi'ite mosque in the southwestern city of Quetta. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Turkey and Greece pledge new era in ties
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been given the red carpet treatment in Athens.He is the first Turkish prime minister to travel to Greece in 16 years.His official visit caps an improvement in relations that started five years ago. The Greek premier, Costas Karamanlis, said on Friday that mutual relations had entered a "new orbit". He repeated his backing for Ankara's bid to join the European Union. After being presented with a Turkish carpet, he held a joint press conference with Erdogan. Karamanlis seemed determined to prevent the knotty issue of Cyprus from spoiling the party. He insisted that "the European Union is in essence inducting all of Cyprus, of course with a special status for its northern part." However, Cyprus remains divided, and only the south entered the EU on May 1. Greek Cypriot voters overwhelmingly rejected a UN plan to reunify their island, shutting out the Turkish Cypriot north. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 7 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. US strengthens hold on holy city
US troops are tightening their grip on the holy city of Najaf amid fears that fresh fighting could be about to erupt. Moqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shi'ite cleric, has defied American threats of arrest by massing hundreds of his followers to lead Friday prayers. Up to 600 militiamen and supporters apparently gathered at a mosque a few kilometres from Najaf, where the cleric regularly delivers fiercely anti-American sermons. Al-Sadr launched an uprising against the US nearly a month ago, seizing many southern Iraqi cities. He has since been forced out of most except Najaf and Kerbala. The move came less than a day after American troops retook Najaf's governor's house from al-Sadr's Mehdi Army. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dozens of members were killed during fighting. The US has pledged to destroy the army.
Meanwhile, a Polish journalist and an Algerian journalist have been shot dead in central Iraq. They died close to the Polish military's headquarters in Latifiya, 30 kilometres south of the capital. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush says "sorry" for Iraq humiliation
It may be too little too late for his critics but George W Bush has apologized for the abuse of Iraqis in US custody. The president was slammed for failing to say sorry in earlier interviews with Arab television but he used a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah to set the record straight. "I told him I was sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners and the humiliation suffered by their families," Bush told reporters. "I told him I was equally sorry that people seeing those pictures didn't understand the true nature and heart of America. "I assured him Americans, like me, didn't appreciate what we saw - that it made us sick to our stomachs." Amid calls for Donald Rumsfeld to resign or be fired following the scandal, the president expressed support for his defence secretary: "Secretary Rumsfeld has served our nation well," he said. "Secretary Rumsfeld has been the Secretary during two wars and he is an important part of my cabinet and he will stay in my cabinet." Nonetheless, the president said he had complained to Donald Rumsfeld that he should have been told about the photographs at the centre of the scandal and about a Pentagon report on the abuses before they were revealed in the media. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Embattled Rumsfeld to face Senate
Donald Rumsfeld is expected to testify in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee later today, amid mounting opposition calls for him to resign. Top Democrats accuse the US Secretary of Defence of being too slow to inform Congress of Iraqi prisoner abuse: "We have to ask the leaders: why did you allow this shame to happen? Why did you allow America, America, to be shamed this way, throughout the world?" was the question from Senator Pat Leahy. Bush is believed to have criticised Rumsfeld in private. Democrat House member Cynthia McKinney wants a public appearance. "I ask the Speaker of the House to command an open session here on the floor of the House for Secretary Rumsfeld to come and tell us why he was hiding reports for two months, why no one knew about the reports and why these kind of heinous and ridiculous acts are going on," she said, adding: "We want peace over war but this administration went to war with untruth. Now it is time for people like Secretary Rumsfeld to wash his hands of the tragedy of this and resign." --------------------------------------------------------------------- London investigates new claims of troops abusing Iraqi prisoners
A leading British newspaper has revealed fresh allegations of abuse against Iraqi prisoners. According to the editor of the Daily Mirror, a new witness has come forward to reveal "appalling beatings". Britain, a staunch supporter of the US-led war in Iraq, has around 8,000 troops in the country. The soldier at the centre of these new accusations described how in one beating, a corporal poked his fingers into the eyes of one prisoner until he was screaming in pain. The Mirror editor has denied claims that these photo's and others published in the newspaper last weekend are fake. The soldier, who was attached to the Queen's Lancashire regiment, is now giving evidence to Royal Military Police. It has prompted the Ministry of Defence to launch another investigation. Several other charges of abuse are already being looked into. These photos follow images printed in the Washington Post of American soldiers apparently humiliating Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib jail. A US soldier has since said beatings were commonplace. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called the actions "inexcusable" and US President George Bush has apologised. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Deadly attack targets Pakistan mosque
An attack at a mosque in Karachi has reportedly killed six people. A suspected suicide bomber blew up a crowded Shi'ite mosque in the business district of the southern Pakistani city, during Friday prayers. At least six people were killed and more than 50 wounded, said Rohena Hasan, a doctor at the city's state-run Civil Hospital. It follows an attack in Quetta two months ago which left 40 Shi'ite Muslimsdead. --------------------------------------------------------------------- New EU Commissioners make Brussels debut
Commissioners from the EU's ten new members have taken their seats around the executive's enlarged table in Brussels for the first time. They were formally approved by EU lawmakers in Strasbourg on Wednesday. The exact makeup and functions of the Commission in future are still being discussed, as part of the debate on a European constitution. Commission head Romano Prodi has encouraged the ten newcomers to make themselves heard from the outset. The current commission is standing down in October and when a new executive body is in place, all commissioners will have equal responsibilities. For the moment the new arrivals have full voting rights but do not have individual portfolios. Between now and the autumn, there will be some tough negotiations on the EU's long-term budget plans and a possible start date for Turkey to discuss joining the bloc. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 6 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. Bomb explosion in Baghdad
Several people have been killed in a car bomb explosion at the entrance to the US administration compound in central Baghdad. A US officer at the scene said several Iraqis were killed and many people wounded, including three US soldiers, by a suicide car bomb at the entrance of the Green Zone government complex.Cars have to queue at the entrance to the compound, before being inspected at a checkpoint. At least five civilian vehicles are said to have been destroyed.
Saakashvili welcomed in Adzharia as rebel leader flees.
As protestors in Georgia's restive Adzharia region tried to break into the residence of ousted leader Aslan Abashidze, the doors swung open for President Mikhail Saakashvili. He immediately headed for Adzharia as soon as the rebel leader was forced from power. He was greeted by exultant crowds. "It was a real dictatorship," said Saakashvili, "some kind of mini-saddam Hussein. But people went out and people destroyed him...and that's the force of democracy." Later Georgia's president addressed the crowd from a balcony, while other officials called for calm and for local residents to turn in weapons within a week. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Rumsfeld called to Congress to explain Iraqi prisoner abuse
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is to come in for a grilling over the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. He has been ordered to appear on Friday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, along with other senior officials. There are questions about the way the allegations were dealt with when Washington was first alerted back in January. Bush has gone into damage control mode and appeared on Arab language channels. "Not everything is perfect in a democracy," he said. "But in a democracy mistakes will be investigated and people will be brought to justice. We're an open society, willing to investigate what took place in the prison." Some reports say Bush has privately expressed his annoyance to Rumsfeld for not being told about the full severity of the matter before it blew up in the media last week. "The apology is not enough," said one man who listened to Bush in a bar in Cairo. "What he should do to prove he's a good man is to leave Iraq." In a comment likely to further incense his critics, President Bush yesterday boasted to an election rally that he has been successful in closing down Saddam's torture chambers. Washington has revealed that 25 prisoners have died in Iraq and Afghanistan in US custody, including two murders at the hands of Americans. An army probe into abuse at the Abu Ghraib jail told
how detainees were sexually abused while being filmed, and they were
beaten and kept naked for days. The new general put in charge has
vowed there will be no repeat of the abuse, and the use of hoods is
now banned. Meanwhile, Britain is still investigating pictures that
appear to show UK troops abusing a hooded Iraqi in Basra, and urinating
on him. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush asks for extra 25 billion dollars for military budget
A further 25 billion dollars for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is what US President Bush is asking Congress to approve, going back on a pledge that he would not seek more money before presidential elections in November. Bush is blaming what he calls "recent developments on the ground and increased demands on troops". The money would come on top of the 160 billion dollars already spent. And there is further evidence of the volatility on the ground - three more US soldiers have been killed in the town of Diwaniya, during clashes with militia loyal to the radical cleric Moqtada Sadr. President Bush has told an Arab TV channel that Iraqis themselves will deal with Sadr, who is holed up in a mosque in the holy city of Najaf. This as a group of leading Shi'ite politicians met on Tuesday to demand that the cleric move his forces out of Kerbala and Najaf. Former soldiers from the Iraqi army are also now patrolling the streets of the flashpoint town of Fallujah, in a new plan to try to restore stability. Washington is pinning its hopes on a new security unit, mostly made up of former members of Saddam Hussein's military and the Baath party. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated 5 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush to address Arabic television over Iraq abuses
George W. Bush is trying to stem growing outrage over his army's behaviour in Iraq. The US President is offering interviews to two Arabic-language television networks, the US-funded Alhurra and Al-Arabiya. Images of Iraqi prisoners stripped naked and being humiliated and abused have badly damaged US prestige, especially in the Arab world. Washington also faces growing anger over its endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral plan to leave Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. President Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice has told Al-Arabiya that he was "personally shocked" by the photos. The Pentagon says criminal charges have been filed against six American soldiers in relation to the pictures, while six senior officers have been reprimanded. Some of the photos show Iraqis arrested by US forces being forced to simulate sex acts with one another or stacked in a pyramid. As of Tuesday a report into mistreatment at the Abu Ghraib jail near Baghdad- where the photos were taken- had not been read by US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The internal report by Major General Antonio Taguba found evidence of "sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraqis protest against prison abuse
Hundreds of Iraqis have marched outside the Abu Ghraib military jail 30 kilometres from Baghdad. Protestors included members of the Association of Muslim Clerics, a Sunni group. Relatives of the nearly 4,000 Abu Ghraib prisoners demanded they be set free immediately. The detainees are among 10,000 Iraqis held by occupying troops. The US military has acknowledged at least two Iraqi detainees have been murdered by soldiers or contractors. Abu Ghraib was infamous for torture carried out under deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Meanwhile lawyers for 12 Iraqi families whose relatives were killed by British troops are pushing for London to accept legal responsibility. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Update 4 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Air France-KLM merger gives birth to biggest airline
Air France has successfully created the world's largest airline in revenue terms - buying up an 89 percent of share capital in the Dutch carrier KLM. The price tag on the take-over is 833 million Euro and could open the skies to a new era in air travel. This cross border merger between the French and Dutch companies is the first of its kind among European airlines. But Air France-KLM is only the world's largest airline by sales, the new company will rank only third in terms of passenger numbers. The deal is being seen by some as a trend-setter - big airlines merging to cut costs and see off competition from the no-frills carriers. But some have also sounded a note of caution. With the Dutch state holding onto to its majority of voting rights over KLM, analysts say this is a merger in name only and the new company could prove inflexible and difficult to manage. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Contractors implicated in Iraqi prisoner abuse
The controversy over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners in US military jails has taken another twist with claims that private contractors were involved. An army report on abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison has been exposed by the New Yorker magazine. It says two employees of a private company were implicated and that sometimes civilians ran interrogations. The commander of the jail has now been suspended. But Jane Karpinski said military intelligence shares the blame. "The military intelligence people did not decide to violate the rules, or go to extremes, as those pictures show. But do I believe they participated in it, endorsed it and in some cases encouraged it ? Yes I do," she said. Six officers have been reprimanded over the scandal, which broke with the publication of pictures of maltreatment inside Abu Ghraib. One former prisoner described the treatment he received as "disgusting". "They wanted to humiliate us. Women soldiers took pictures of naked men and didn't care." The revelations have added to the hostility felt by many in Iraq towards the US and their allies in the country. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq. More bloodshed at Najaf
Events at Najaf and other flashpoints in Iraq continue to keep tensions soaring. At least five members of the militia loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtadr Al Sadr were killed in the latest clashes with US forces encircling the city. There were also reports of fighting in the nearby city of Kufa. US commanders have said they will not enter Najaf to capture Sadr, but there are no signs of the conflict in the area diminishing. The situation around Falluja, the scene of the worst of the violence of recent weeks, also remains fraught. The US is hoping the commander of the new force taking control of the city will help quell trouble there. It is believed Major General Mohammad Latif was an opponent of Saddam Hussein. His troops have moved into the city after a withdrawal by American units. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Two Palestinians dead after Israeli raid in Gaza
At least two Palestinians have been killed and about 16 wounded during an Israeli raid in southern Gaza. Witnesses say two helicopters backed up Israeli forces raiding the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis. A missile was reportedly fired at a group of gunmen firing at troops. Several civilians were hurt from flying shrapnel. Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers blocked off the entrances to the compound of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat overnight. Palestinian witnesses told news agencies that about 15 army jeeps cut off the three entrances leading into the compound in Ramallah. Military sources, however, were quoted as saying the operation was routine, and had nothing to do with the Palestinian leader. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Israel. Sharon tries to sell new pull out plan
Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon is trying to convince sceptics of a new plan for a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, following the rejection by his Likud Party of his previous pull-out initiative. Sharon originally proposed a complete withdrawal of all Jewish settlements from the Gaza strip and four from the West Bank. The new scheme pushes for the removal of just three of the Gaza settlements and two in the West Bank. But as Sharon bids to win over the right of his party, Israeli opposition leader, Shimon Peres urged Sharon not to water down his original plan. Instead he asked for Sharon to call a general election to give voters a chance to decide whether the governing Likud party was acting in accordance with their wishes. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Update 3 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ariel Sharon in crisis following referendum defeat
Ariel Sharon is today facing a crisis that is at least in part of his own making, after the massive rejection of his Gaza withdrawal plans in Sunday's referendum of his ruling Likud party. The Israeli prime minister has said he will not resign - but forcing his project on an unwilling party would be difficult. That leaves him the options of modifying the scheme, or as some are demanding calling elections. But with the religious right feeling betrayed, an election does not look like an easy solution for Sharon either. In Gaza settlers celebrated the referendum results by laying the foundations of a new encampment. Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie has said the referendum result should be the queue for reopening bilateral negotiations. Qurie called on the international community to restart the road map peace process. But the stalemate in the Middle East looks to be more entrenched than ever. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bridges blown up to stop feared invasion
Rebels have blown up two bridges in the restive Adzhara region of Georgia to stop what they said was an imminent Georgian military incursion. But Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told the area that if it failed to disarm militias and submit to Georgian law he would remove Adzharan leader Aslan Abashidze and call new elections. Adzhara is one of three regions operating beyond the control of Tbilisi but, unlike the others, hasn't declared independence. Saakashvili says his patience is running out. "We had a meeting of the security council where we decided to give a final deadline to Aslan Abashidze," he said. "We will give him 10 days to return to Georgia's constitutional framework and stop human rights abuses." Abashidze said severing the links over the Choloki river was intended to rule out any movement south by Georgia's military, currently on manoeuvres up the coast. Saakashvili denied there was any plan to invade Adzhara.
Some Georgians attribute Adzhara's actions to influence from Russia
which, they claim, wants to undermine the country's independence and
pro-Western foreign policy. ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Update 2 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Symbolic flag-raising for new and old Europe
The European anthem rang out while the flags of the of 10 new European Union members were hoisted alongside those of the existing 15 at a special celebration summit in Dublin. Leaders watched emotionally as the barrier which divided the communist East from the wealthy West finally fell. No one is pretending it is going to be easy to extend the EU from 15 to 25 countries overnight, and the presence of candidates Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey in Ireland proves that enlargement is a work in progress. British Prime Minister Tony Blair was among the EU leaders dining in Dublin last night. They shared a meal of Irish salmon and duck washed down with French and - symbolically - Slovenian wines before the evening's live entertainment. The headaches to come of agreeing a European constitution and preventing Brussels' bureaucracy grinding to a halt with so many states around the table were set aside for the day as Europe took the time to rejoice. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Estonia goes green to mark EU day
As capital of the European Union, Brussels has more reason than most to party this weekend. Welcoming the 10 new countries in Belgian fashion - with plenty of food, drink and dancing. And in the heart of Euroland, the buildings of the EU were opened to the public for the first time, allowing people a glimpse behind the scenes. Elsewhere, in Estonia more than a million trees - roughly equal to one per person - are being planted to mark membership of the EU. Some 2,000 trees were planted on Saturday alone. Meanwhile, there was a mood of hope as Hungarians woke up on their first full day as citizens of the European Union. Political leaders and people on the street hailed the final closing of Europe's East-West divide, 15 years after the Berlin Wall fell. In with the new and out with the old. An exhibition called 'What We Don't Take With Us To The EU' displays a collection of Soviet era relics which now belong firmly in Hungary's past. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Symbolic flag-raising for new and old Europe
The European anthem rang out while the flags of the of 10 new European Union members were hoisted alongside those of the existing 15 at a special celebration summit in Dublin. Leaders watched emotionally as the barrier which divided the communist East from the wealthy West finally fell. No one is pretending it is going to be easy to extend the EU from 15 to 25 countries overnight, and the presence of candidates Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey in Ireland proves that enlargement is a work in progress. British Prime Minister Tony Blair was among the EU leaders dining in Dublin last night. They shared a meal of Irish salmon and duck washed down with French and - symbolically - Slovenian wines before the evening's live entertainment. The headaches to come of agreeing a European constitution and preventing Brussels' bureaucracy grinding to a halt with so many states around the table were set aside for the day as Europe took the time to rejoice. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Goodbye Lenin: Hungarians draw line under communist past
Some 500 children born on May 1 had a special breakfast on Budapest's Elizabeth Bridge on Saturday morning, celebrating the country's first day in the EU. It is the oldest chain bridge over the Danube in the Hungarian capital. The city's Mayor opened a huge waterfall, while along the embankment; other EU member countries have been offering a taste of their national cuisine and music all day long. "I don't feel anything special today but I expect only positive things and I am sure that it will benefit my children and grandchildren," said one woman. "I feel that we must belong to a developed and bigger community." "I expect lots of good things, but of course we have to see what will happen. Only time will tell." "I am curious. I don't expect anything in the short term but it will be good in the long term," said one man. A bus station in the city centre was also packing in the crowds, for a rather more offbeat show. It is hosting an exhibition entitled: "What we don't take with us to the EU." Members of the public have donated items representing the Soviet era. By parting with Kalashnikov rifles, the complete works of Lenin and even East German household appliances, Hungarians say they are drawing a line under their country's memories of domination by Moscow. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Westerners killed in Saudi attacks
It has been a day of bloodshed in Saudi Arabia with
at least five Westerners killed by gunmen. A hotel, an international school and a McDonald's restaurant are also said to have been targeted. Witnesses are being quoted as saying the body of a Westerner was dragged through the streets from the back of a car. Two of the gunmen are said to have blown themselves up in a car, following the attacks ----------------------------------------------------------- Last Update 1 May, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Europeans hail EU expansion
The European flag has gone up across the continent on its most significant day since the collapse of communism. The EU's expansion to 25 countries creates a potential economic and political giant of 450 million citizens. At a ceremony in Latvia's capital Riga, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga hailed what she called a "new era," but stressed that established EU powers would have to listen to the voice of small newcomers. There was a similar ceremony in Lithuania's capital
Vilnius, attended by interim President Arturas Paulauskas. Unease
about heavyweights such as France and Germany dominating new members
is keenly felt, especially in the three newcomer Baltic states. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Fireworks and parties mark EU enlargement
Europeans celebrated EU enlargement with a blaze of fireworks and street parties. Greek Cypriots cheered and sang in the capital, Nicosia. EU Commission President Romano Prodi marked the occasion on Italy's border with newcomer, Slovenia. There was rich symbolism as historical enemies Germany and Poland celebrated together on a bridge separating their countries. Festivities were also held in the capitals of Hungary and Latvia. And in Malta, a dazzling offshore display heralded the Mediterranean island's entry into the EU. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A taste of Slovenia in Brussels
With just hours to go before Slovenia joins the European Union, its flag and national costume have been given pride of place in Europe's capital, Brussels. The flag and Slovenian costume are decorating the famous "Mannekin Pis" statueand the Slovenian ambassador was on hand to oversee the handing out of Slovenian "potika" cake and "prsut" ham. This being Belgium, such delicacies were washed down with generous helpings of special "Union" and "Lasko" beer. It is the first time the statue has been decorated with
Slovenian garb but it is not the first time the urinating little boy
has been dressed for a special occasion. This has happened some 732
times in the past. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Free at last says Czech PM
Prague city centre looks like a mini-european union this Friday, as the Czech Republic has invited all 25 current and imminent member states to set up stands in a sort of european market place. Fifteen years ago the crowds of the Velvet revolution signalled the end of communism in the then Czechoslovakia, but the Czech Republic's Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla says midnight tonight would mark the real end of the soviet communist bloc. "It's the end of a long voyage begun in 1968 ", he added, referring to that year's liberal reforms, crushed by Russian tanks. --------------------------------------------------------------------- New condition for Italian hostages' release
Iraqi insurgents holding three Italians have added a new condition for their release, according to an Arabic television channel. Al-Jazeera says it has received a message from the kidnappers demanding Rome pressure Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq to free political prisoners. That could be a reference to Islamic extremists held by the two main Kurdish political parties. The message, which has yet to be authenticated, says the hostages will not be harmed if Italy accepts the condition. Earlier this week, several thousand people marched in Rome to press for the release of the captives and for peace in Iraq. Having already killed one hostage, the insurgents had threatened to execute another unless Italians protested against their government's participation in the US-led coalition. --------------------------------------------------------------------- British soldiers in torture probe
A day after shocking images of US soldiers abusing prisoners in Iraq were broadcast, the UK is investigating allegations British soldiers have also tortured Iraqi captives. The probe came after the newspaper the Daily Mirror published a photo today of a British soldier urinating on a crouching, hooded Iraqi. Meanwhile US President George Bush has spoken of his 'deep disgust' at the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American troops. "Those prisoners were treated the way they were treated. Their treatment doesn't reflect the nature of the American people. That is not the way we do things in America." The abuse took place at the notorious Abu Gharaib prison in Baghdad, once a centre of torture and execution under Saddam Hussein. Charity Amnesty International said it had warned the coalition in Iraq that prisoners were being maltreated.
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