Last Updated, 30 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opposition supporters try to enter Ukraine's parliament
In Ukraine, supporters of opposition leader Victor Yushchenko have briefly broken through a fence surrounding the parliament in Kiev, with several attempting to gain entry. The protestors massed in front of the main doors after the chamber failed to agree on how to deal with a series of opposition motions, including a no-confidence vote in the government. The parliamentary speaker tried to calm tensions, urging the Yushchenko supporters not to storm the parliament, which he said was the last pillar of democracy. He also said MPs would make a decision on Wednesday that will satisfy the whole of Ukraine. Earlier, opposition leaders withdrew from talks aimed at ending the stalemate over the disputed presidential polls, held nine days ago. The discussions between Yushchenko's camp and supporters of the officially-declared winner Viktor Yanukovich had been kickstarted by Russian and EU mediators. Amid growing signs a new election could be held, Yushchenko rejected an offer to settle for the prime ministerial post, in exchange for accepting the victory of Yanukovich. Outgoing president Leonid Kuchma has added his voice to calls for the election to be held again. That decision, however, rests with the Supreme Court, which is currently considering the matter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nationwide strike in Italy
Millions of Italian workers have downed tools and taken to the streets in the fifth general strike since Silvio Berlusconi took office. Former European Commission President Romano Prodi joined marchers in Rome, using the occasion to mark his formal return to domestic politics. Unions are angry at the Prime Minister's economic policies. Planned tax cuts and a spending squeeze will, they say, do nothing to help those feeling the pinch. The tax cuts were described as "an illusion" by one man taking part in the rally. He said they would just give money to the rich. The stoppage was observed from Venice to Sicily. Previous general strikes opposed labour market and pensions reform , both of which have since passed into law. This time round, Silvio Berlusconi is also being pitted against industry. "Why can't the cabinet understand that everybody is against this economic policy?" a union leader asked strikers in Milan, highlighting employers' lack of enthusiasm for the tax cuts. Travellers bore the brunt of the industrial action with trains, buses and planes going nowhere fast. The walkout went further with hospitals providing only emergency services, while post offices and government offices were closed. Silvio Berlusconi's administration, meanwhile, is defending a measure it says will simply enable Italians to keep more of their earnings. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated, 29 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ukraine's Parliament declares presidential vote invalid
Ukraine's parliament has delivered a moral boost to opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko's presidential campaign. MPs voted by a large majority to declare the result of the presidential run off invalid, saying it failed to reflect the will of the voters. The resolution, however, is not legally binding as parliament doesn't have the power to annul the vote but it nevertheless carries considerable political weight. On Monday the Supreme Court will meet to hear Yushchenko's complaints of massive electoral fraud and will no doubt take today's resolution into consideration. Parliament also passed a vote of no confidence in the Central Electoral Commission but failed to pass a motion in support of staging a rerun of the vote. The decision was music to the ears of Yushchenko's loyal supporters - still massed in Kiev's Independence Square. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated, 28 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ukraine crisis could inflame historical fault-lines
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in eastern Ukraine to back Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich as president and press calls for autonomy if opposition protests overturn his election. One woman said, "We live in this country, and it is us and our children who will determine its future". Yanukovich's supporters voiced support for a proposed referendum to ensure the east would never have to take orders again from the capital Kiev. The east, which generates much of Ukraine's wealth with its chemical, steel and coal industries, is largely Orthodox, while the west, which relies on small industry and agriculture, has a 5-million-strong eastern-rite Catholic minority. Leaders in towns across the Russian-speaking Donbass coalfield hailed Yanukovich's victory and blasted as "political terrorists" rival demonstrators backing his liberal opponent Viktor Yushchenko's allegation that the vote was rigged. There have been some demonstrations in favour of Yushchenko in a few eastern Ukrainian towns. But analysts say regional governors are using the political crisis to grab more power from the centre. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ La Francophonie condemns Ivory Coast
A summit of French-speaking countries has condemned Ivory Coast's government for bombing raids that shattered an 18-month old truce and killed nine French peacekeepers earlier this month. A resolution adopted at the end of a meeting, also attended by French President Jacques Chirac, expressed concern that turmoil in the West African country threatens regional stability. "There is no military solution in Ivory Coast, there is only a political solution," said Chirac. "We hope that common sense will come back so that a political solution can bring back peace, stability and the development of the country which is suffering for unjustified reasons." The Ivory Coast's President Laurent Gbagbo did not take part in the summit of some 25 heads of state in Burkina Faso and his delegation angrily pulled out after a spat with local authorities. The resolutions called on all sides in the Ivorian crisis to refrain from war and strictly implement a 2003 French-brokered peace accord. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pope hands over looted Orthodox relics
The spiritual heads of Christianity's two largest churches have taken part in a ceremony at the Vatican. In an unprecedented gesture of reconcilliation, the Pope has handed over the relics of two early Christian saints to the Orthodox church's leader Bartholomew I. The bones were looted by Christian mercenaries at the time of the Crusades. The Pope has made reconcilliation with the separated Christian churches one of the main themes of his pontifcate, but with limited success. Dialogue between Catholics and Anglicans has stalled over the issue of the ordination of women while relations with the Russian Orthodox are still tense. The Russians have accused the Pope are trying to convert Orthodox believers, a charge the Vatican denies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Romanians vote for parliament and president
Romanians go to the polls today to decide who will lead the country through the reforms needed to join the European Union in 2007. Both Romania and Bulgaria are due to join the EU in its next eastward expansion, however Romania has been slow to reform and its European entry may be delayed. About 18 million voters will choose between the ruling ex-communist PSD and a centrist alliance of the Liberal and Democrat parties. The PSD's presidential candidate is Prime Minister Adrian Nastase. PSD leads in most opinion polls, with the centrist alliance, seen as more pro-business and led by Traian Basescu, coming a close second. Basescu is the mayor of Bucharest and is seen as more likely to tackle the hard, EU-prescribed reforms needed in the next two years. The EU has criticised the government for dragging its feet in structural reforms and the fight against corruption while failing to secure human rights and media freedom. The disparities of wealth in the countries are enormous, with luxury cars often seen racing past horse drawn carts. Transparency International corruption watchdog lists Romania as one of the most corrupt countries in the region. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Sharon and Abbas 'ready to meet'
Mr Abbas told the same magazine that he was willing to meet Mr Sharon. But he added that Israel had to allow the Palestinians to build the security infrastructure in Gaza before the settlers' withdrawal. Mr Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, is the candidate of the ruling Fatah party in the 9 January elections in the Palestinian territories to choose a replacement for Yasser Arafat as president. He has already replaced Mr Arafat as Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) chairman and is now favourite to succeed him as president. 'Every effort' Mr Abbas said: "After the elections, I'm ready to meet at any time with Sharon. "We are ready to take Gaza when we rebuild our security apparatus... I'm working very hard to rebuild the security apparatus." For his part, Mr Sharon said: "When they would like to meet, we will meet. "I am going to make every effort to co-ordinate our disengagement plan with the new Palestinian government - one that can assume control over areas we evacuate." He added that Israel would keep its troops away from Palestinian towns during the January poll "to enable them to conduct their elections with as little interference as possible". ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 27 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ukranian parliament debates vote call
The Ukranian parliament is debating the political turmoil in the country over last weekend's disputed presidential election. The opposition, led by presidential candidate Viktor Yushshenko, wants a re-run of the vote which they claim was rigged to hand victory to Prime Minister Yanukovic. With the participation of 428 members the parliament has a quorum and any vote would be valid. Parliament has no power to overturn last Sunday's poll which the Central Election Commission said was won by Yanukovich. But it could criticise the commission and its assessment may carry political weight just two days ahead of a Supreme Court case examining Yushchenko's complaints of poll irregularities. The speaker has said he believed annulling the election would be the most "realistic" solution. Events in the chamber are being watched closely by the many thousands of opposition supporters who have been staging a round--the-clock demonstration against the outcome of last weekend's election. Giant TV screens had been erected in the streets so people could watch the debate unfold. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 26 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ukraine authorities hand victory to prime minister, protests continue
Ukraine's pro-western challenger for the presidency, Viktor Yushchenko, has said he is prepared to rerun the disputed election if it is overseen by honest officials. Not long after the offer, the central electoral commission declared prime minister Viktor Yanukovich the winner of Sunday's run-off, with 49.46 of the vote. Yushchenko told the crowd in Independence Square: ""We are ready to have a repeat of the second round vote provided we have an honest Central Election Commission." International observers said the poll was seriously flawed, and today Yushchenko repeated allegations of electoral fraud, including turnout of nearly 100 per cent in pro-government areas. He said that when asked by broadcasters including Euronews why he took the unusual step of swearing himself yesterday, he had explained that he was like a man seeing a woman being attacked, and had to act. He also denied that any negotiations with the prime minister's camp had taken place. Outgoing president Leonid Kuchma yesterday offered to host negotiations involving all sides. He has also stressed that the authorities will not use force to resolve the political crisis. Similary the defence minister said there would be no troop deployments in reaction to the protests. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 25 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Italian legal reform sparks walkout
A throwback to the Mussolini era - that is how some Italian magistrates have described a law they say will undermine their independence. Thousands of them went on strike, leaving courts empty across the country. The legislation's approval by parliament is imminent. It is aimed at separating the roles of prosecutor and judge, bans magistrates from belonging to a political party and submits candidates to psychological tests. Critics say it will weaken and divide the profession, and further slow down Italy's lumbering legal system. "Procedures are lengthy and complicated, and this reform does nothing to speed up the process," said Edmondo Bruti Liberati, the head of the National Association of Magistrates. "What's more, it goes against the principle of a free and independent magistrature, which is basic to any democracy." The right-wing prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has long accused magistrates of pursuing a left-wing vendetta against him and his administration. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 24 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yushchenko: I was poisoned
All you need to do is compare pictures of Viktor Yushchenko before September this year and after - judging from his red, swollen and pock-marked face, the health of Ukraine's opposition leader has clearly taken a turn for the worse. On 5 September, Yushchenko fell severely ill after a dinner with the head of Ukraine's security services. He was diagnosed with acute gastro-enteritis. But Yushchenko claimed he was suffering from another kind of intoxication: he accused the Ukrainian authorities of trying to poison him. A few weeks later, a Ukrainian doctor who accompanied Yushchenko to Vienna's renowned Rudolfinerhaus clinic where he was treated issued a certificate strongly suggesting he was poisoned. This diagnosis was not endorsed by the clinic's director Lothar Wicke who said the author of the certificiate also happened to be a close friend of Yushchenko. Wicke also claims to have received veiled threats by Yushchenko's supporters not to go against the diagnosis. The clinic concluded Yushchenko's illness could have been caused either by a severe viral infection or by chemical agents not usually found in food. "Theoretically, this kind of illness could have been caused by bad food," said a clinic spokesman, "but we haven't found any proof of this. What is certain is we can exclude food poisoning caused by mushrooms." So mushrooms are not to blame for Yushchenko's ravaged face. But it remains uncertain what is. Yushchenko stands by his claim that he was poisoned. Some medical experts say his face shows similar symptoms to those of chloracne, caused by the infamous chemical warfare agent orange. Most agree that no natural illness could have caused such physical devastation so fast. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 23 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Opposition claims it was robbed in Ukraine Presidential election
Confusion reigns in the Ukrainian capital the day after the country went to the polls in presidential elections. Thousands of people have crammed into the city centre to support the candidate who at the moment appears to have lost. With nearly all the votes counted the Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich appears to have a lead of around 3 percent over his pro-Western challenger. But Viktor Yushchenko said he is the winner. He claims across Ukraine there is proof of ballot rigging and fraud. He told his supporters, " Today a great evil is occurring in our country Ukraine. We are united here to say to our government you have not defended the arguments of the people: Your actions can not help you to stay in power when the people make another choice. " Earlier in the day Yushchenko met with senior officials from the ministry of the interior and the army who apparently indicated he had their support. He also has the support of some leading reformers in Russia who came to Ukraine to campaign on his behalf. They include Boris Nemtsov who heads up a centre-right party in Russia. He told a rally in Kiev that there was a link between criminal elements in Ukraine and former KGB officials in Russia. He said, " We need freedom and democracy in Ukraine in order to have freedom and democracy in Russia. Only together we can be free happy and successful." Voter turnout was high for this election close to 80 percent. For the time being Viktor Yushchenko has urged his supporters to stay put in Independence Square. Around 50,000 of them have done just that. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Virtually unassailable lead for Yanukovich
Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovich has opened up an almost unbeatable lead over his opponent Viktor Yushenko. If confirmed, the result will cement Ukraine's ties with Russia and deal a blow to those who hoped the country would move closer to the West. Outgoing president Leonid Kuchma, who backs Yanukovich, has appealed for calm and asked people to ignore the opposition's call for protests. It is claimed that fraud centred on Yanukovich's two strongholds in the east of the country. The OSCE says it has serious concerns with voter lists, while Canadian observers say they have found evidence of irregularities and police intimidation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EUROPE.Barroso gets down to business
The new president of the European Commission has kicked off his first week in office. Laying aside a fresh controversy over his team, Jose Manuel Barroso has staked out his priorities - making Europe more competitive economically, and striking a balance between social benefits and a flexible labour market. Barroso's revamped team was approved by the EU parliament last week after a politically damaging 3-week standoff over a controversial Italian commissioner and other candidates. But hopes of a reprieve proved to be short-lived when a Eurosceptic British MEP, Nigel Farage, disclosed a past conviction of the French commissioner. Jacques Barrot, who takes on transport, was not obliged to reveal the sentence under French law, but some MEPs believe he should have made it public in the interests of transparency. The Liberal group in the parliament has asked Barrot to stand aside until the row is resolved. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Powell meets Israeli, Palestinian leaders
Palestinians from east Jerusalem will be able to take part in January's presidential election - that is the word from Israel after talks with the US. It is a key step in a series of measures that Israel could take to facilitate the vote. The outgoing US secretary of state, Colin Powell, was dispatched to make a renewed diplomatic push following the death of Yasser Arafat, branded by Washington as an obstacle to peace. Later Powell met Palestinian leaders in Jericho. They have called on Israel to pull troops back from urban areas in the West Bank a month before the poll. Israel has so far said it would coordinate with the Palestinian Authority. Powell has been exerting pressure on moderates such as PLO chief Mahmud Abbas - tipped as Arafat's successor - to rein in militant groups in the run-up to the election. Without that, the chances of securing full Israeli cooperation are slim. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 22 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. Iraq creditors forgive debt
In what is being billed as a fresh financial start for Iraq, a group of creditors has agreed to cancel 80 per cent of the country's debt. That means that instead of owing around 30 billion euros, Baghdad now has to pay back around 6 billion. The agreement only covers governments in the Paris Club, an umbrella group for 19 of the world's richest countries. But there is hope it will pave the way for bilateral deals with other creditors, like Saudi Arabia. While the interim government has hailed the agreement as 'historic', Baghdad has far more pressing matters to deal with as elections are now fixed for January 30th. Campaigning is already underway, but some party activists are not convinced the country is ready. Abir al-Sahlani from the National Coalition Party told reporters: "My opinion about elections is that they should be postponed because neither the security situation nor the Iraqi voters is prepared for what is coming. I do not think that we have enough information. I do not thinks that the security is good." Despite almost daily attacks on the US-led coalition and Iraqi government forces some voters are more optimistic. "The elections will be held as scheduled. God willing, and be to the benefit of the Iraqi people and will help calm down the situation," said Imri Saleem, interviewed in a cafe. A Saddam-era food rationing list is being used as the basis for voter registration. The election will appoint a 275 member National Assembly, who will then choose a president and two deputies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ German muslims march against violence and discrimination
An estimated 20,000 people have taken part in an anti-terror march in Germany. Many of those in the crowd were of Turkish origin. They had two messages: firstly to condemn violent attacks on Muslims; secondly to condemn the actions of some Islamic extremists. The demonstration in the city of Cologne is a reaction to increasing debate over the role of the country's 3.5 million Muslims in German society. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has urged the Islamic community to help fight extremism and work harder to integrate itself. Conservative politician Guenther Beckstein said, "The demonstrators must make an effort to make sure that they and their children speak good German." The Berlin government believes improving language skills
will help tackle the problem of ethnic and religious groups becoming
cut off from mainstream society. Across the border in the Netherlands
the same issues are top of the agenda after a wave of tit-for-tat
attacks on Muslim and Christian targets. Pop stars held a concert
in Amsterdam in a spirit of unity. The country has been shocked by
the death of controversial filmmaker Theo van Gogh - a Dutchman of
Moroccan origin has been charged with his murder ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 21 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ucraina: aperti i seggi per le presidenziali, 37.600.000 al voto
Seggi aperti, in Ucraina, per il secondo turno delle elezioni presidenziali: due i candidati in lizza, il premier attuale e un ex capo del governo. I seggi, 33.000, resteranno aperti fino alle 20 di questa sera, per un voto che rischia di spaccare il paese. Viktor Yanukovic, attualmente a capo del governo, è il candidato del presidente Kuchma, il cui operato è stato più volte criticato in occidente, e soprattutto dalle istituzioni e dai politici europei. Yanukovic è un candidato che piace anche a Mosca, o più che altro è Viktor Yushenko che a Mosca non piace. Yushenko, ex premier, politicamente guarda all'Europa, ed è anche per questo che una sua vittoria potrebbe dar fastidio a Mosca. Ma c'è di più: il Cremlino vuole tranquillità nel paese vicino, e forse ritiene che questa debba passare dalla continuità. Yushenko ha contestato il primo turno elettorale, ha lamentato brogli, e ha detto che porterà milioni di persone in piazza, se la cosa dovesse ripetersi ora. Il presidente Kuchma ha parlato a reti unificate: ha invitato tutti alla calma, ha avvertito che si potranno ritenere validi solo i risultati annunciati ufficialmente dalla commissione elettorale centrale. L'Osce ha pesantemente criticato il primo turno elettorale, che ha visto il candidato del presidente in testa di pochissimo. Gli osservatori internazionali sono quasi 5.000, e la tensione tra gli oltre 37 milioni di elettori è alta. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ US and Chilean agents squabble at APEC summit
There was a moment of drama at the APEC summit in Caracas when US President George Bush had to haul one of his own bodyguards from the clutches of Chilean security agents when they tried to prevent members of the White House entourage from accompanying their leader. It is not clear what caused the squabble and Washington has played down the issue. There was a much more amicable atmosphere among the leaders of the 21 nations who make up the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The occasion is Bush's first international assignment since his re-election. APEC talks are normally dominated by efforts to advance trade links between the member states but this time around security and nuclear issues are high on the agenda. Bush wants his Asian allies to put more pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear development programme. He is looking to China in particular to help restart negotiations with Beijing. US-Asian economic relations are also at the heart of the discussions amid concerns about the falling valued of the dollar. Bush sought to reassure other leaders that Washington was committed to a strong dollar and was working to halt its slide. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Polish woman "well treated" by kidnappers in Iraq
A Polish woman who has just been released by kidnappers in Iraq has said she was treated well by her captors. Teresa Borcz Khalifa spoke to reporters after being flown to Warsaw from Iraq. She said she had been held in "good conditions". Borcz Khalifa, who is married to an Iraqi and is a long-term resident of Iraq, was seized by a little-known militant group at the end of last month. She says she does not know how her release came about and the Polish government has given no details. The only other woman known to be held, aid worker Margaret Hassan, is thought to have been killed. The news has given hope to relatives of other foreigners abducted in Iraq, including two French journalists. There was further cause for optimism with the release of an Egyptian truck driver. He said he had heard his kidnappers talk about two French nationals and believed they were being kept in the same house as him. He said he believed the journalists were in good health. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gas explosion kills eight in apartment building in southern Italy
Eight people have been killed in a gas explosion in
southern Italy. The blast in the town of Foggia destroyed an apartment
building. A further nine people were injured. The tragedy has stunned the local community and brought a painful reminder of a similar incident five years ago. Sixty seven people were killed when a gas explosion demolished a large block of flats. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ debt and low US dollar occupy G20 in Berlin
The US and Germany have reached a multi-national agreement to write off up to 33 billion dollars of Iraq's debt.The deal has been reached at a meeting in Berlin of leaders from the G20 group of rich and developing nations.Europe and Japan also took the chance to voice their concerns about the low US dollar, but there seemed to be little concensus on what could be done.While US officials at the summit stayed silent, the German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder spoke on the issue. "The Euro-dollar relations are already worrying," said the chancellor. "The cause is clear. There is a double deficit in the US, a budget deficit and a current account deficit, and partnership certainly means something has to be done about it." The impact of rising oil prices on growth was also discussed,
and ministers agreed to apply an OECD code on sharing information
on tax matters. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 20 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ APEC summit focuses on trade and terrorism
Heads of state are gathered in the Chilean capital for a weekend summit of APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. On the agenda is a range of issues including Iran and North Korea's nuclear ambitions, cooperation on fighting terrorism and the spread of free trade. US President Bush says he will be pushing China and other allies to help resurrect talks with North Korea. China is using the trip to try to guarantee supplies of key commodities for its booming economy. It is also urging the US to take more action to stop the fall of the dollar and bring back stability to the world market. On the sidelines of this summit will be individual talks between key leaders, each with their own agendas. Many ministers who paved the way for these talks are also said to have been discussing ways to revive global trade talks launched in Doha three years ago. The fight against terrorism was included on the main agenda at the request of Washington and Moscow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back tax cuts or face early polls warns Italian PM
There is a threat of an early election from the Italian Prime Minister. Silvio Berlusconi says he will go to the polls early if his government fails to introduce income tax cuts next year. It is a message intended for his coalition allies whom he accuses of being recalcitrant. During an official visit to Slovakia, the Prime Minister told reporters that the public would not accept any more delays. "If some of my allies will not back my plan to cut tax next year, there will not be a new government line-up, we'll head directly to new elections, and my party will run without some of those allies who don't see this plan as necessary." One of the coalition parties accused of holding up the tax cuts is the National Alliance, headed by Gianfranco Fini, who was recently named as foreign minister. While maintaining he is open to negotiation, he is opposed to blocking civil servants' salaries to help pay for the lowering of taxes. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 19 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The European union has a newly-operational executive body
The Barroso Commission has won overwhelming approval from the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The investiture vote result was 449 voices in favour, 149 against, with 82 abstentions. Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso drove home he intended to cooperate closely with the parliament, which is the EU's only directly elected institution. There was mutual support offered notably from the biggest political groups, the conservatives, the socialists and the liberals, with expressions of a new, strong institutional partnership in the making. There were also some theatrical performances in speeches from hotly eurosceptic members, which caused a stir. Order was restored with difficulty, and the supporters of the offended parties moved to calm tempers. Harsh words came out again, especially for the Dutch commissioner Neelie Kroes. Some MEPs felt Barroso should have been more forceful with EU governments, to get them to switch certain commissioners. But the strong 'yes' overall means the commission of 25 can get down to work on Monday, with a five-year mandate to serve. It means that overtime for the outgoing Prodi Commission is finished. Romano Prodi and his team have stayed on until today's final confirmation vote. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Blair and Chirac meet for talks in London
The French President, Jacques Chirac, is in London to mark the climax of centenary celebrations of the Entente Cordiale - the diplomatic agreement meant to improve relations between Britain and France. There was plenty of pomp and The French President, Jacques Chirac, is in London to mark the climax of centenary celebrations of the Entente Cordiale - the diplomatic agreement meant to improve relations between Britain and France. There was plenty of pomp and pagentry on show as Chirac was welcomed by Prince Philip and a Guard of Honour at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. But the French leader's two-day visit has been overshadowed by press reports about his strained relations with Britain over a range of issues including the Iraq war. Downing Street admits that differences do exist between
Britain's Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Paris over Iraq but Number
Ten insists that the two men can still work together. But the French leader's two-day visit has been overshadowed by press reports about his strained relations with Britain over a range of issues including the Iraq war. Downing Street admits that differences do exist between Britain's Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Paris over Iraq but Number Ten insists that the two men can still work together. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Israeli tank kills 3 Egyptian policemen
Three Egyptian policemen have been killed by Israeli forces who mistakenly took them for Palestinian militants planting explosives. The incident took place along the Gaza-Egypt border before dawn on Thursday morning when a tank fired off a single shell across the border into the Sinai peninsula. The Israeli army said it had launched a high-level investigation into what it described as an "operational error" in an area that is "a central point for arms smuggling, attacks and many infiltration attempts". It is the most serious incident involving Israeli and Egyptian troops for years and there are fears it could raise tensions at a time when the Jewish state wants Egypt to help secure Gaza after a planned Israeli pull-out there next year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. US continues to target Falluja resistance
US Marines are trying to take control of the last pockets of insurgency in Falluja. The Iraqi interim government says some 1,600 rebels have been killed in the US-led bombardment of the Sunni stronghold. But Washington has admitted senior militants, including Jordanian al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al Zarqawi, probably escaped Falluja before it was attacked. It is not clear how coordinated rebel activity is, so it is hard to assess whether the violence which has flared in other Sunni towns has been led by figures formerly based in Falluja. Britain has rejected a report in the respected medical journal The Lancet that estimates some 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as result of the entire war. Iraq's third city Mosul - another Sunni-dominated area - is relatively quiet after days of clashes. The road north from Baghdad remains dangerous, though. A group of 35 Iraqi police recruits were kidnapped there on their way home from training in Jordan. But they hid their papers, pretended to be businessmen and were freed after three hours. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 18 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ UN drive for peace in Sudan
It may have been eclipsed in the media by the more recent Darfur conflict, but Sudan's civil war is not over - and a high-profile UN gathering is making a renewed push for peace. Meeting, unusually, in Kenya, the Security Council is pressuring the Sudanese government and rebels from the Southern People's Liberation Movement to wrap up a comprehensive agreement by the end of this year. If they do, they can expect substantial UN-sponsored foreign aid. In a bloody war of attrition lasting 21 years, around 2 million people are thought to have died in oil-rich southern Sudan. Darfur is, of course, also on the agenda. The UN has drawn fire from aid groups for not doing more to end atrocities in the western region. Last week a United Nations-appointed panel arrived there to probe allegations of genocide. The African Union is to deploy 3,000 peacekeepers by the end of the month, but on Friday a top UN envoy said more would be needed. Pro-government militias known as the Janjaweed are accused of driving more than 1.2 million people, mainly African villagers, out of their homes. Tens of thousands have died and there are widespread reports of rape. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Putin announces plans for new "unique" nuclear missiles
President Vladimir Putin has said Russia will put into service unique nuclear missile systems in the next few years. The claim came in a speech to armed forces chiefs, where defence minister Sergei Ivanov admitted growing rates of suicide and crime among the military. Putin said: "We are conducting research on and successfully testing new nuclear missile systems. I am sure that they will be put into service within the next few years and they will be systems of the kind that other nuclear powers do not have and will not have in the near future." Washington has insisted the development is nothing new and will not harm its strategic co-operation with Moscow. White House spokesman Scott McClennan said: "The president and president Putin have worked very closely together to establish that relationship and they have worked together to move beyond some of the issues of the past and develop an agreement to significantly reduce our nuclear arsenals that is what I think is most important. But I think what I took from these comments, it is something they have talked about before and that is modernisation of their military. We are allies now in the global war against terrorism." For Victor Kremenyuk, a Russian expert on North America, nothing positive will come out of Moscow's announcement: "I am afraid that different people on both sides would use it their interest. The American minister of defence, Mr. Rumsfeld, will use it a thousand per cent to support his position, to say that we still need some new weapons, you know, that we need to go ahead to spend more on research and development because the Russians are ahead." Moscow has sought to upgrade its nuclear arsenal since the US announced in 2001 that it was working on a missile defence shield. Earlier this month Russia said it would test-fire a mobile version of its Topol-M ballistic missile. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 17 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. Hard core rebels resist in Falluja
After a week of fighting, the US now controls the Iraqi city of Falluja, but hunting down the last groups of hard core rebels could take much longer. House-to-house searches continue to try to root out the remaining pockets of resistance - but these fighters are well-equipped and ready to fight to the death. The death toll on the rebels' side is said to exceed 1,000. The US army has lost around 40 soldiers. More than 1,000 Iraqis have been taken prisoner. The Falluja offensive has fuelled violence across Iraq. There has been heavy fighting in the northern city of Mosul where gunmen have been attacking and looting police stations. There were also violent clashes in Baquba where US warplanes pounded rebel positions, as well as in Ramadi and Samarra. Oil wells and pipelines carrying oil from Kirkuk to Baiji have been bombed and set ablaze. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched into possible war crimes by a US Marine after an NBC camera filmed shocking pictures in a Falluja mosque, showing him shooting dead a wounded and apparently unarmed Iraqi. The US army claims the mosque had originally been used by insurgents to attack their forces. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rice to take over from Powell as US Secretary of State
US president George W Bush has selected Condoleeza Rice, his National Security Advisor and trusted aide, to replace Secretary of State Colin Powell. Her deputy Stephen Hadley will take over from her. There had been talk she might take on Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's position - but there has been no indication he is set to leave any time soon. Rice has been National Security Advisor for George W Bush since he first took office in January 2001. One of his closest aides, she spends much time with the president, travelling alongside him on the campaign trail and even spending weekends with the Bush family at the Camp David retreat. Trained in political science and fluent in Russian, she first worked for George Bush senior on Soviet and Eastern European affairs. She will be the second African American to hold the post of Secretary of State after Colin Powell. He has long said he always planned to serve for just one term. Widely seen as a dove among the White House hawks, Powell has never been at ease in an administration dominated by neo-conservatives. His departure has prompted reaction from leaders around the world, who have praised him for his moderate and pragmatic leadership. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ End of complex career for Powell
When he was sworn in as Secretary of State in 2001, Colin Powell brought a wealth of experience and enormous popular support with him. The newly elected president, George W. Bush, summed him up as "one of the most respected and admired men in America". A four-star general who had served in Vietnam and been awarded the Purple Heart, Powell had already been national security advisor to Bush senior. As secretary of state, he took on the highest political rank ever held by a black American - not bad for a boy from Harlem. Powell joined the army in 1958, eventually becoming the first black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior US uniformed post. But in Bush junior's cabinet, he was always seen as a dove rather than a hawk. In 1991, Powell led the Gulf War Coalition to victory in the first war on Iraq. And it was perhaps Powell of all George W's cabinet that pushed hardest for a broad coalition second time round. He was seen around the world as a more accommodating figure in a unilateralist Bush administration, while remaining loyal to the president. This loyalty came despite his own political opinions on issues such as abortion and gun control which, at times, differed widely from George W's. Although such views look like political suicide in the current climate, back in the 1990s Powell came under pressure to run for president himself. Powell has had a long and complex political career, but will probably be most widely remembered for presenting flawed evidence on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction before the United Nations. Powell, now 67 years old, has long hinted he was a one-term man. As he steps out of the political arena, the question now is who will take his place? ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 16 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ First March 11 trial to begin
A new chapter opens today in the painful saga of the March 11 Madrid train bombings Madrid when a 16-year-old boy becomes the first suspect to go on trial. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of having smuggled dynamite for Jose Emilio Suarez Trashorras, who allegedly stole it from the mine where he worked in northern Spain. The boy is said to have been a go-between for Trashorras and Jamal Ahmidan, the Moroccan believed to have been the logistical mastermind behind the attack. Ahmidan blew himself up along with other suspects when cornered by police in April. 191 people were killed on March 11 when bombs went off on four trains in the morning rush hour. Claimed by Al Qaida, it was Spain's worst terrorist strike. Nineteen suspects are in custody. Other trials are not expected to begin until next year.
Frattini rounds off EU Commission interview
He is still in the hot seat but the worst of the grilling is over. Italy's nominee for the European Commission, Franco Frattini, is undergoing the final stage of a cross-examination by members of the EU parliament to decide his suitability for the job. At yesterday's three-hour session, the Italian foreign minister harnessed all his diplomatic skills to sidestep questions on gay rights and women - issues that caught out his predecessor, Rocco Buttiglione. Frattini is poised to take on the Justice and Security portfolio. Meanwhile, Hungary's candidate Laszlo Kovacs responded to what he has called a smear campaign against his communist past conducted over the internet. He told EU parliamentarians that he had indeed been a member of the party in a one-party state, but said he had never had links with the secret service and that he had nothing to hide or to be ashamed of. Kovacs was assigned the taxation brief after MEPs decided he was incompetent in the energy field for which he was originally put forward. The old EU Commission line-up was rejected largely because of Buttiglione, but the new one is almost certain to be approved on Thursday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Hamas backs Palestinian elections
Palestinian leaders have got together in Gaza amid fears factional fighting could threaten upcoming presidential elections. They have been trying to present a united front in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death last week. The meeting saw Hamas lend its support to the election process, while Islamic Jihad has said it did not oppose it. The vote is scheduled for January 9th. There was tight security for the meeting after a gunbattle on Sunday saw two security guards killed. New PLO head Mahmoud Abbas escaped unharmed, but it underlined the tough job he may have in garnering support in the Gaza Strip where younger radical groups say the old guard is too moderate. Meanwhile Palestinian leaders say they have asked French authorities to give them a full report on Yasser Arafat's death at a Paris hospital. Wild rumours have spread over why the 75-year-old's health suddenly deteriorated, but French law has allowed his widow Suha to maintain a veil of secrecy. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 15 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Abbas unharmed in Gaza shooting incident
The man some tip to replace Yasser Arafat as Palestinian president has escaped injury in a gunfight in Gaza City. As Mahmoud Abbas was visiting a mourning tent for Arafat, he was surrounded by gunmen from Arafat's Fatah movement who shouted hostile slogans. Some also fired shots in the air. The gunmen's rifles were pointed upwards; this was apparently a warning rather than an assassination attempt. But as Abbas was rushed away, there was an exchange of fire between bodyguards and militants. Two guards were shot dead. Mahmoud Abbas, known as Abu Mazen, was chosen as the chairman of Palestine Liberation Organisation after Yasser Arafat's death last Thursday. He has blamed the Gaza incident on "friction" among armed men, as has senior PLO official Yasser Abed Rabbo: "Due to this friction, there was some exchange of shooting. This shooting was not directed against Abu Mazen or any of the leadership." Mahmoud Abbas is tipped as the candidate of Fatah in the presidential vote, which Palestinian officials have scheduled for January 9. The interim leadership has called on the US and the European Union to stop Israeli obstruction to holding a free, fair and complete vote. Many believe Marwan Barghouti to be the most popular Palestinian politician after Yasser Arafat, and now he is reportedly planning to run in the January election. Barghouti, formerly head of Fatah in the West Bank, is currently in an Israeli jail serving five consecutive life sentences. While rejecting the Oslo peace process, Barghouti has spoken out against attacks on civilians inside Israel. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. Violence spreads after Fallujah assault
American Marines are still facing tough opposition as they take control of Falluja. The army says around 1,200 militants have been killed and several hundred arrested during the week-long offensive. Over 30 American soldiers have been killed. Fallujah was considered to be the centre of insurgent operations, and US commanders believe it has to be taken under Coalition control if the uprising is to be tamed. They say they have discovered torture chambers and hostage detention centres during their raids. Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating. The fighting means US forces have blocked seven Red Crescent trucks from delivering aid to civilians in Falluja. A father and son trapped in the city said they were relieved the battle is almost over. "We lost track of our family, when the Iraqi soldiers came we asked them to take us with them," he said. Events in Falluja have fuelled violence in towns and cities across the Sunni Muslim heartland of Iraq. In Mosul, gunmen have been seen roaming the streets and attacking police stations. There were similar scenes in Ramadi, where American soldiers clashed with militants brandishing machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. In Buhriz, hundreds of Iraqis took part in a protest against the interim Iraqi Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi. They called him a "thug", and an "agent of the Americans". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iran suspends nuclear programme under EU deal
Iran has reached an agreement with the European Union during talks on the nation's nuclear programme. Tehran has announced that is suspending uranium enrichment activities for as long as talks with the EU continue. The negotiations are with ambassadors from Britain, Germany and France. Observers say the agreement should be enough to stop US moves to have the case referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. The latest news has been forwarded to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is due to release a report on Iran within the next 24 hours. The EU had earlier said that a suspension would enable them to negotiate a package of incentives, in exchange for Iran's commitment to give up any activities that could be used for nuclear arms. Tehran denies US accusations that its atomic energy programme is a cover for a weapons programme. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Calls for Ivory Coast arms embargo
West African states have given their backing to a proposed UN arms embargo on both sides of the conflict in Ivory Coast. Leaders of six countries, meeting in an emergency summit in Nigeria, took the decision on the eve of a UN Security Council debate on whether to impose a ban. The group also said two previous deals signed in July and in January of last year provided the only credible route to peace in Ivory Coast. Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo was not at the meeting. Hostilities between his forces and rebels who control the north of the country have flared up again in recent weeks. Government warplanes killed nine French peacekeepers in what the Ivorian military said was an attack intended to target rebel positions. As the African leaders met Gbagbo said he had not ordered the airstrike, which killed the French soldiers. He added he was not an idiot and that it would only take minimum intelligence not to fire on French or UN troops. France, the country's former colonial ruler, sent a force to work alongside UN peacekeepers. Supporters of the president, who believe Paris shares the rebels' aim of ousting Gbagbo, have attacked French citizens living in Ivory Coast. That has sparked an exodus of mainly European foreigners. French President Jacques Chirac has ruled out any withdrawal of French forces. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Batasuna calls for peace talks
A Basque nationalist party banned by the Spanish government is calling for peace talks. At a rally in San Sebastian, Batasuna leaders have put forward a strategy to end a long-running conflict in the region. The party is accused by Spain of being the political wing of the separatist guerrilla group ETA. "It's more difficult to make peace sometimes than to make war," says Batasuna's leader Arnaldo Otegi. "To make peace means getting the political and armed conflict off the streets and taking it to the negotiating table. To make peace means even going so far in the end as to seek the involvement of our enemies." Batasuna is calling for an agreement between ETA, France and Spain on demilitarisation, and a referendum in the Basque country on its future. The party, however, has failed to condemn ETA violence, and media speculation that it might call for an ETA ceasefire did not materialise. The separatist group has been under increased pressure this year, with police arresting more than 100 suspected members, including the alleged leader. Branded a terrorist group by Spain, the EU and the US, ETA has killed some 850 people since 1968. Batasuna denies being the political wing of ETA but it shares its aims for independence. Early reaction from senior officials in Spain's mainstream parties have been mixed, but many say Batasuna must call on ETA to stop its violence ------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Last Updated, 14 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. US military cautious in Falluja endgame
American marines are adopting a cautions approach as they close in on the last remaining clusters of insurgents in Falluja. The battle for the Iraqi city may be in its final phase but military commanders are anxious not to add to the 22 US and five Iraqi soldiers killed so far. Despite predictions of imminent conquest they are still meeting resistance in the one southern part of Falluja where the Pentagon says insurgeants are making their final stand. Amid the ruins grims discoveries are made. US commanders claimed a basement showed evidence of torture having being carried out there. US and Iraqi government troops stormed Falluja in a bid to suppress what until now has been the main base for insurgents in the country. But the operation has sparked a militant backlash in other areas, primarily Mosul where rebels overran police stations and took over parts of the northern city. As the US begins to fly out the 170 American troops injured in the battle aid organisatiions have been expressing mounting concern about Falluja residents still trapped in the city. Their situation has been described as "catastrophic" by the Iraqi Red Crescent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Much-needed air reaches Falluja
It is unclear how many of Falluja's 300,000 inhabitants chose to stay or were unable to flee but the Red Cresent believes they will have been in desperate need of food and medicine. The organisation brought the first convoy of aid to the city since the operation began five days ago. Five trucks and three ambulances arrived at the main hospital in the west of the city. But the humanitarian group did not believe this convoy would meet all the needs of the city's residents. Thousands are said to be set up in camps around Falluja. It is also still unknown how many civilians have been killed in the fighting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Diplomatic moves begin amid Arafat mourning
Palestinians may be in full mourning for Yasser Arafat but already moves are underway to inject new momentum into the Middle East peace process. US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said he hopes to meet Palestinian leaders soon as a part of a fresh diplomatic initiative. He will be in Egypt in November 22 for a two day summit and White House officials have indicated he could meet the current and former Palestinian prime ministers, Ahmed Qurie and Mahmoud Abbas there, or even travel to the Palestinian territories If he does he wil be following in the foot steps of the EU's foreign policy chief, Javer Solana, who met Qurie and other Palestinian leaders shortly after Arafat's burial. After the encounter Solana pledged the EU would offer assistance to the Palestinian Authority in elections to find a successor to the late President. They have been provisionally marked down for January 9. In Nazareth thousands of Arabs took to the streets to demonstrate that Arafat will be mourned by at least some Israelis. Arab Israelis comprise about a fifth of the country's population. The Israeli government has said Arafat's death could be a turning point in the conflict but that talks will only resume of the eventual new leader is more effective in reining in militants. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ivory Coast said to be calmer
Despite an apparent calming of tensions in Ivory Coast the exodus of foreigners from the African state has not diminished. Most of those leaving are French and Ivory Coast's former colonial ruler is spearheading the evacuation of nationals from other countries. A steady stream of mainly European nationals has been arriving at a French military base in Abidjan from where they are transferred to naval ships or planes. General Henri Poncet is in command of the operation. "I think what the international community is worried about is the country collapsing into an inter-ethnic bloodbath. I hope time will bring reason back to the country," he said. Supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo have been venting their fury on French citizens, accusing France of supporting the aims of rebels who occupy the north of the country. The situation came to a head after Ivorian warplanes killed 9 French soldiers in an attack which Gbagbo's government claims was targetting rebels. French forces destroyed all but one of the country's handfull of military aircraft in retaliation. In what Paris might regard as a worrying development the Gbagbo has replaced his replaced his armed forces chief with a reportedly more hardline commander. West African leaders will discuss the crisis in a meeting in Nigeria today. They fear the whole region could become destablised by events in Ivory Coast. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dutch appeal for calm after spate of arson attacks
Police in the Netherlands are appealing for calm as they investigate what they believe is the latest in a spate of arson attacks against religious targets. A mosque at Helden near the German border in the south of the country has been gutted. There have now been at least 20 arson attacks on mosques and churches since the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by an Islamic militant 11 days ago. "People were keeping an eye on the mosque," said a Helden police official. "It wasn't permanently guarded though. After the murder of van Gogh we did talk about increasing security here, but we hadn't actually finalised the plans." In a country known for its tolerance, police say they have arrested several dozen people in connection with arson attacks, bomb threats, letters containing suspicious powder and far-right vandalism. The murdered filmmaker had angered some Muslims with a movie that accused Islam of promoting violence against women. In the Hague on Wednesday, two men were arrested after a 14-hour standoff in which suspects threw a grenade, wounding four officers. The pair, along with four others, now face charges of belonging to a terrorist organisation. A seventh man is accused of involvement in the Van Gogh murder. Some reports say the two men arrested in the Hague are suspected of plotting to assassinate some outspoken Dutch politicians who have criticised Islam. The Netherlands Queen Beatrix met with Moroccan and Dutch students in Amsterdam on Friday, and stressed the importance of respect and tolerance of all groups living in the country. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 13 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Solana pledges support for Palestinians
After earlier chaotic scenes of anguished grief a sombre calm hung over Yasser Arafat's burial site during the night in the West Bank city of Ramallah. But tears were still being quietly shed at the graveside of the Palestinian President who died Thursday. Among the world diplomats paying their respects was Javier Solana the EU's foreign policy chief. He had talks with Palestinian leaders now sharing the burden of Arafat's presidential responsibilities. "The sentiment we have is the sentiment of solidarity with the Palestinian people. The most important thing that we can ask is to make the dream become a reality and the fundamental dream is to have a state, and for that we have to work with the Palestinian people to make it a reality," he said. The EU is to have talks with with Israeli and Palestinian representatives later this month to discuss the the Middle East peace process in the aftermath of Arafat's death. The US has announced Secretary of State Colin Powell will undertake a similar mission. The question of Arafat's long term successor is no nearer being answered but the interim leadership has confirmed presidential elections will be held within 60 days in accordance with Palestinian law. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SME. Prosecutors seek 8 year sentence for Berlusconi
Eight years in prison - that is the sentence an Italian prosecutor is urging a court to impose on the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. In a corruption trial reaching its closing stages the leader is s accused of bribing judges to stop the sale of a state owned food chain to a rival businessman in the 1980s. Delivering her closing arguments in a court in Milan, prosecutor Ilda Boccassini called on the three judges hearing the trial to convict what she described as "the businessman who had judges on his payroll". Berlusconi has vigourously denied the charges, claiming he is the victim of a politically motivated campaign by left-wing magistrates. The trial was suspended last year when his coalition government approved a law giving the prime minister and other high officials immunity from prosecution. That law was annulled, however, by the Italian Constitutional Court, and the trial resumed in April. Defence lawyers are due to sum up their case in early December, and a verdict is expected late this year or early in 2005. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Blair and Bush pledge to strive for Middle East peace
The Middle East was top of the agenda when British Prime Minister Tony Blair and American President George W Bush spoke earlier. Blair is the first world leader to visit since Bush was re-elected last week. Bush expressed his desire to see long-lasting peace in the Middle East and emphasised the necessity of a two-state solution: "Prime Minister Blair and I share a vision of a free, peaceful, democratic broader Middle East. That vision must include a just and peaceful resolution to the Arab Israeli conflict based on two democratic states, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. "Our sympathies are with the Palestinian people as they begin a period of mourning," he added. Bush said lasting peace was possible within the next four years but refused to make it a commitment of his second term Both leaders have made much of their so-called special relationship, despite the difficulties it has caused for Blair at home. He said they'll continue to work together: "That viable state has to be a democratic state. The second thing is how do we get there, how do we enable the Palestinian people to get there? We will do whatever it takes to help build support for that concept." Bush was keen to emphasise the importance of a good working relationship between the US and Europe: "In my second term I will work to deepen our transatlantic ties, with the nations of Europe. I intend to visit Europe as soon as possible after my inauguration. My government will continue to work through the NATO alliance and with the European Union." The two men are also expected to discuss Iraq, in particular the on-going US-led assault on Falluja, the future of the four British terrorist suspects being held in Guantanamo Bay and climate change. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. Americans claim control of 80% of Fallujah
American Marines are continuing their assault on Fallujah, and say they have control of 80 per cent of the Iraqi city. Militants are said to be holed up in the south, and are reported to be fighting co-ordinated guerrilla-style attacks on US tanks and armoured vehicles. It is not known how many Iraqi or foreign fighters have died, but around 18 Americans and five Iraqi government troops have been killed. Elsewhere in Iraq insurgents have launched repeated
deadly attacks on US targets, especially in Mosul and around Baghdad. It is now the fourth day of fighting in what is seen as a last-ditch attempt by the Americans to take control before elections scheduled for January.The tense situation for the Coalition comes as one of its members, the Netherlands, reportedly said it would pull its troops out of Iraq in March next year. In a separate development, the Syrian driver who was kidnapped along with two French journalists in August has been found alive in the city of Fallujah. The man was found by US Marines who are carrying out house-to-house searches. Officials say there is no word on the fate of the two reporters, Christian Chesnot and George Malbrunot. The US army says its raid on Fallujah has uncovered several locations where the filming and execution of hostages have been carried out. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 12 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Sharon plays down prospects of immediate talks after Arafat's death
The latest events could herald historic turning point in the Middle East- that was the message from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon following the death of Yasser Arafat. Speaking to reporters at his office, Sharon said Israel would continue its efforts to reach a political settlement with the Palestinians. But he added that a breakthrough would depend first and foremost on a cessation of terrorism. There would be no significant progress unless the new Palestinian leadership waged a "war on terror", Sharon said, referring to radical groups responsible for suicide attacks in Israel. Many Israeli politicians are more blunt in their appraisal of Arafat. Yosef Lapid, the Minister of Justice and head of the centrist Shinui party, said: "Arafat missed the opportunity to have peace in the Middle East and a Palestinian state and chose terror as a weapon, not only against Israel but against Western civilisation. He was the godfather of Al-Qaida and of Bin Laden. And perhaps we now have a new opportunity to start talks with Palestinians who genuinely want to have peace." For Israel, a very real fear is that the emotions stirred by Yasser Arafat's death could spill over into acts of violence. Consequently, the army has completely sealed off the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, a measure it has used during the most tense moments in the Palestinian uprising. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. Deadly car bomb explodes in Baghdad
A car bomb has ripped through a commercial district in Baghdad, killing at least 17 people and wounding more than 20. The blast happened in a busy thoroughfare where traffic was moving very slowly. A blaze tore through several other cars and their occupants had no chance, people at the scene said. Nearby shops were destroyed or badly damaged. Meanwhile several Iraqis are reported dead in clashes in the Sunni bastion of Ramadi west of Baghdad, and fierce combat continues in Falluja for a fourth day as US and Iraqis forces try to subdue the key rebel stronghold. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hague police siege comes to an end
The Dutch police siege of a building in a residential area of the Hague has ended after two young men reportedly gave themselves up to police. Anti-terrorist police had been involved in a stand-off with several suspects hiding in a building in a poor immigrant neighbourhood of The Hague. At least three police officers were wounded, one seriously, when a hand grenade exploded after a raid on the building just before three o'clock in the morning. Some of the 200 officers on the scene also exchanged gunfire with the suspects after local residents were evacuated. Airspace over the area was also closed to all traffic. The European Commission has expressed its concern over events in the Netherlands since the murder of film director Theo Van Gogh last week. More than 10 mosques and churches have been hit by arson attacks. In the latest incident a Muslim primary school in the southern town of Uden was completely burnt down. The words "Theo rest in peace" were written on the walls. Six suspects in Theo Van Gogh's murder are in custody including a 26-year old man with dual Dutch and Moroccan nationality. Van Gogh caused controversy with a film showing Koranic verses written on a woman's naked body. To mark Van Gogh's funeral on Tuesday, hundreds of demonstrators, including many Muslims, gathered at the site of his killing to call for a return to the traditional Dutch value of tolerance. The Immigration Minister, Rita Verdonk, has said the EU must discuss how to prevent young Muslims being drawn towards Islamic extremism. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ France evacuates citizens from Ivory Coast
France has begun to evacuate its nationals from Ivory Coast after five days of violent anti-French protests. Four planes with around a thousand seats are due to leave the country's commercial capital, Abidjan. But it is not clear how many French people will be flown out today. Most of those expected to be evacuated have been holed up in the United Nations headquarters that has been constantly surrounded by angry demonstrators. The violence erupted on Saturday after France destroyed the Ivorian air force. It was a retaliatory strike against the Ivorian government which had bombed a rebel stronghold in the north, killing nine French peacekeepers. Since then French national and foreign businesses have been targeted by rioters and looters. The unrest ended a 18-month ceasefire, sparking a renewal of the West African country's civil war. It is thought the turmoil has claimed nearly 50 lives and left up to a thousand others injured. Yesterday, at least ten people were killed at an anti-French protest in Abidjan when bursts of gunfire ripped into a crowd outside a luxury hotel commandeered by French troops. Witnesses blamed French peacekeepers but France says Ivorian forces fired on the demonstrators after they themselves were shot at. The Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, says he is committed to finding a peaceful solution to end the civil war. There has been little progress in discussions with rebel leaders although fresh talks are due to take place in South Africa later this week. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 11November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yasser Arafat dies in Paris
It was the news the world was expecting and Palestinians were dreading. Yasser Arafat, who symbolised his people's struggle for an independent state, is dead. Far from his West Bank headquarters, the veteran leader's life slipped away in a military hospital in Paris. And early today that was where a solemn announcement was made, putting an end to days of rumours and confusion over the 75-year-old's condition. Mystery still surrounds the nature of his illness, the scale of his fortune and who will succeed him but, amid the questions, there was concrete information about when the Palestinian president died. It happened at 3.30 this morning central European time. There were emotional scenes in Ramallah as one of his top aides spoke to journalists. "Yasser Arafat has closed his eyes in this world and his soul has gone to its creator," said Tayyeb Abdel-Rahim, with tears in his eyes. "He remains with this great people because he was the leader of this people," he added. Palestinians announced a 40 day mourning period as the sobering news sunk in. It came as preparations continued for his funeral in Cairo and eventual burial at his Ramallah headquarters. It means the shell-shattered compound where Yasser Arafat lived under siege for the last years of his life will become a shrine to the icon of Palestinian nationalism.
Palestinians move to replace Arafat before elections
In keeping with Palestinian law, parliament speaker Rawhi Fattouh has been sworn in as interim president of the Palestinian Authority, to replace Yasser Arafat. His task is to organise elections within 60 days. In a special parliamentary session in Ramallah, Fattouh pledged to uphold the values that Arafat represented for the Palestinian people. He stressed the importance of a unity during a difficult period of political transition. Fattouh is seen as powerbroker between feuding factions and security services, but without a real powerbase of his own. Meanwhile Mahmoud Abbas, the former prime minister and a leading moderate, has been appointed head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. He is likely to have an uneasy relationship with hardliner Farouk Kaddoumi, who has been named the leader of Fatah, Yasser Arafat's dominating political faction within the PLO. Kaddoumi rejected the Oslo accords and chose to remain in exile. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 10 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ France evacuates citizens from Ivory Coast
France has begun to evacuate its nationals from Ivory Coast after five days of violent anti-French protests. Four planes with around a thousand seats are due to leave the country's commercial capital, Abidjan. But it is not clear how many French people will be flown out today. Most of those expected to be evacuated have been holed up in the United Nations headquarters that has been constantly surrounded by angry demonstrators. The violence erupted on Saturday after France destroyed the Ivorian air force. It was a retaliatory strike against the Ivorian government which had bombed a rebel stronghold in the north, killing nine French peacekeepers. Since then French national and foreign businesses have been targeted by rioters and looters. The unrest ended a 18-month ceasefire, sparking a renewal of the est African country's civil war. It is thought the turmoil has claimed nearly 50 lives and left up to a thousand others injured. Yesterday, at least ten people were killed at an anti-French protest in Abidjan when bursts of gunfire ripped into a crowd outside a luxury hotel commandeered by French troops. Witnesses blamed French peacekeepers but France says Ivorian forces fired on the demonstrators after they themselves were shot at. The Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, says he is committed to finding a peaceful solution to end the civil war. There has been little progress in discussions with rebel leaders although fresh talks are due to take place in South Africa later this week. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 9 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ US unleashes its military might against Falluja
The United States is unleashing its military might against Falluja - the full scale offensive to retake the Iraqi city from militants has begun. Marines met with some resistance as they battered a train station with machine-gun fire clearing the way for the ground assault. Soldiers and tanks are reportedly thrusting forward into Falluja following weeks of preparation for the offensive. Warplanes have been dropping bombs on rebel positions. The city has been under siege for more than two weeks. Overnight, troops seized two bridges on main roads in west Falluja and Iraqi and US soldiers took control of the main hospital. There are reports 38 insurgents were killed in the process. The all-out assault now underway was ordered hours earlier by Iraq's interim Prime Minister. Iyad Allawi announced he wanted to clean Falluja of terrorists. Some 20,000 US and Iraqi soldiers are involved in the operation. But military intelligence estimates US and Iraqi forces could still face tough resistance to regain control of Falluja. They think up to 6,000 insurgents could be hiding there. As bombs rained down on the rebel city, a booming voice from a nearby mosque rallied militants for what could be Iraq's biggest battle since last year's US-led invasion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Palestinian leaders to visit Arafat in Paris
Palestinian leaders have decided to visit their president in a Paris hospital despite staunch criticism from his wife. Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie, Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and PLO number two Mahmoud Abbas put an end to much speculation on Monday when they announced their intention to take the trip. Yasser Arafat is said to be in a serious but stable condition in hospital. He was airlifted there 10 days ago after briefly losing consciousness. The trip is going ahead despite strong accusations by Yasser Arafat's wife Suha who says the Palestinian leaders are plotting "to bury her husband alive". The comments fly in the face of efforts by Arafat's lieutenants to protect an image of unity and business as usual at a time when many Palestinians fear chaos if he dies. "This dispute is harmful to President Arafat, this is not a time for the Palestinian people to be divided, instead we must unite," said Mohammed Dahlan, former Gaza chief of police and a possible successor to Arafat. Suha Arafat, who lives in Paris, had not seen her husband during the three years he was holed up in his compound. She is one of only three people at his bedside. Ordinary Palestinians say she has gained too much power and claim she has no right to control information on Arafat's condition. They say he is not the private property of Suha Arafat. Echoing these feelings, a crowd of Palestinian women demonstrated at the entrance to Arafat's compound in Ramallah at the weekend, holding up banners asking "Where were you, Suha, while the president was under siege?"
Suha Arafat: a controversial first lady
With her flowing blond her, sharp suits and comfortable Paris lifestyle, Suha Arafat seems an unlikely wife for an ageing Palestinian revolutionary. Born into a well-to-do family in Jerusalem, she received a Catholic education in the Palestinian territories before completing her studies in France. Suha met her future husband while working as a journalist. Smitten, he hired her to do public relations work for the PLO in Tunis during his exile. She converted to Islam to marry Arafat in 1990, when she was in her late 20's and he was in his 60's. Their daughter, Zawha, was born in Paris in 1995. With the beginning of the Oslo peace process, the Arafats returned to the Palestinian territories and settled down in a modest residence. Despite the semblance of a normal family life, Arafat often cut a distant figure. Some said the longtime bachelor's first love remained the cause. But in matters of ideology, Suha is hardly soft herself, and she certainly has a gift for undiplomatic outbursts. In a press conference with Hilary Clinton in 1999, Mrs Arafat notoriously accused Israel of poisoning Palestinian air and water and spreading disease. She once said she hated the Israelis and told a newspaper that, if she had a son, there would be "no greater honour" than to sacrifice him for the Palestinian cause. But Suha has also earned street credibility for her humanitarian work with refugees in Gaza and for her willingness to speak out against corruption in her husband's Palestinian Authority. Often seen at the beside of the injured in the early days of the Intifada, she soon left for Paris with her daughter. Now under attack from her husband's government and her bank accounts under investigation, Suha Arafat's fortunes look set for turbulence ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 7 November, 2004
Shock after death of anti-nuclear activist in Germany
German anti-nuclear activists have held a vigil along the path of a train transporting nuclear waste after it killed a militant who had chained himself to the tracks. The train driver saw the protestor too late, and despite using the emergency brake, ran over a demonstrator's leg. He died before reaching a hospital. The train is carrying 12 containers of nuclear waste back to Germany after reprocessing in France. The cargo, which left northern France on Saturday, is due to arrive in Gorleben in Lower Saxony today after several delays caused by protestors. The 21-year old militant is the first victim in a decade of anti-nuclear protests. A spokesman for the environmental organisation Friends of the Earth said planned demonstrations would still go ahead despite the tragedy. Anti-nuclear protestors claim the reprocessed waste is unsafe. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated, 7 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ French troops killed in Ivory Coast flare-up
Fighting in Ivory Coast which has pushed the African country to the brink of full scale civil war has claimed the lives of eight French soldiers. They were killed when Ivorian warplanes bombed a French position near Boake. The air raid also left 23 soldiers wounded. Ivorian commanders said the French were hit by mistake and that the planes were targetting nearby rebel units. The French troops are there in cooperation with a UN peacekeeping mission which has been overseeing a fragile peace deal between government forces and rebels who occupy most of the north. French President Jacques Chirac has ordered Ivorian planes to be destroyed for breaking the ceasefire. The French military earlier retaliated by destroying two Ivorian fighter jets on the ground at Yamoussoukro airport. There are further reports of gun battles between French and Ivorian troops at the international airport at Abidjan which also serves an air force base. In recent days Ivorian army officers have said a land invasion would follow air raids to drive out the rebels who have controlled the north since a failed attempt to oust President Gbagbo in September 2002. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. Multiple car bomb strike in Iraqi city of Samarra
With an all out US offensive apparently imminent on the Iraqi city of Falluja, rebels have hit back in nearby Samarra. A series of insurgent attacks there have left at least 34 people dead. Four car bombs targeted Iraqi police and US forces. Of those who died nineteen were policeman. Insurgents in Samarra have frequently struck out at Iraqi officials who they regard as collaborators with US. US and Iraqi troops stormed Samarra a month ago in what was considered a prelude to an offensive planned for Falluja. The city is also in the volatile Sunni heartland. Overnight bombing by American forces was the most intensive Falluja has sustained in months. In further evidence that a final assault is imminent, some 10,000 US soldiers are massing on its outskirts. Weeks of bombing have already forced most inhabitants to flee and now those who had stayed behind are also leaving in droves. Last night's aerial bombardment reduced dozens of homes to rubble. The operation is part of a drive to crush a Sunni-led insurgency and retake rebel cities so that elections can take place in January. But some analysts say that the attacks in Samarra show that it takes more than a large scale military offensive to bring a rebel city under control. Some add that US forces will not have done much to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis. Falluja residents say a hospital and a medical supply warehouse were destroyed and a mosque riddled with artillery fire after last night's bombing campaign. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Arafat supporters maintain vigil outside hospital
Well wishers have been holding day and night vigils outside the Paris hospital where the Palestinian president is said to be in a critical but stable condition. Yasser Arafat has been undergoing a series of tests, but so far doctors have not been able to reach a precise diagnosis. His supporters have been sending him their prayers, many hoping that despite the gravity of situation he will recover. Others have used the hospital exterior as a platform to air their and Arafat's political beliefs. Some chanting that they will sacrifice their blood for the Palestinian cause. Conflicting reports have emerged on the 75 year old's health since he was rushed to intensive care on Wednesday. What is known is that he is in a coma and suffering from a mystery blood disorder. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Palestinian premier meets faction leaders to maintain calm
The Palestinian prime minister has held talks with faction leaders and security services in Gaza in a bid to maintain calm as uncertainty mounts over who will succeed Yasser Arafat. Amid fears of infighting between the rival groups, Ahmed Qurie has underlined the need for unity. Officials from several organisations including Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad attended the meeting. Qurie said they essentially discussed four central issues: the political situation, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, home security and ensuring the safety of ordinary Palestinians. There have been clashes between Palestinian groups in Gaza in recent months. Following today's talks the leader of the militant group Islamic Jihad said the tri-partite meeting, was held in the spirit of reconiciliation and aimed to preserve unity. There has been intense diplomatic activity over the past days to get preparations underway if and when Arafat dies. Qurie has taken over some of his powers, but though that makes him the effective head of the Palestinian Authority for now, that does not mean there is a clear line of succession should the Palestinian leader die. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated, 6 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Macedonia referendum raises tension in former Yugoslav republic
Macedonians vote in a referendum on Sunday which has raised tensions in the ethnically divided former Yugoslav republic. Voters are being asked to support or reject decentralisation legislation aimed at enhancing the rights and status of minority ethnic Albanians. The national poll comes after the main opposition gathered enough signatures in a petition to force a vote. The governing coalition, comprising Albanian and Macedonian parties, has warned that a negative outcome would plunge the country into crisis and could lead it to being internationally isolated. The disputed legislation was adopted by parliament in August but it does not have the backing of the opposition or a sizeable portion of the Macedonian majority it represents. The law proposes redrawing municipal boundaries so that Albanians, who comprise some 25 percent of the Balkan state's population, become the majority in 16 out of 80 municipalities. It is a crucial part of a peace agreement brokered by NATO and backed by the EU which ended five months of fighting between government forces and Albanian guerrillas in 2001. The referendum has re-opened the wounds of that conflict. The vote comes days after the US recognised "Macedonia" as the country's legal name. The move angered neighouring Greece which has a northern province in the same name.
EUROPEan leaders find common ground on Iraq
The issue of Iraq has dominated the European Union summit, with most leaders making an effort to appear united despite past tensions over the conflict. Heads of government from the 25 member states agreed a modest aid package for the country, offering around 30 million euros. The money will be used to help train Iraqi election officials, support the development of the justice system and fund a UN protection force for the vote. Iraq's Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi welcomed the olive branch from Europe, which was left bitterly divided by the US-led war. He said it was time "to open a new chapter and look to the future." But with both Hungary and the Netherlands announcing plans to withdraw their troops soon after the Iraqi elections Allawi warned such a move could "encourage" terrorism. After the meeting Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said it was time to move on: "We're not going to go back over what happend. Was this war justified or not, we think it wasn't, so we didn't discuss that again. What we talked about was what the EU can now offer in terms of civilan help to Iraq." The EU has already committed 305 million euros in humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Iraq. Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka: "Whatever the differences we have about the intervention in Iraq, how we proceed, how the coalition proceeds in Iraq, now everyone has the same goal : how to stabilise the country, how to help Iraqis". The EU has also been making an effort to appear unified
on relations with the US, drafting a joint statement warmly congratulating
President George W Bush on his re-election. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated, 5 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Middle East. Arafat in new health scare
There are conflicting reports over the state of the ailing Palestinian President, Yasser Arafat. He is said to have been in a coma for several hours, according to a source in his delegation at the Paris military hospital where he is being treated. It is thought he also suffered organ failure and lost consciousness three times since Wednesday when he was moved to an intensive care unit. But West Bank officials have denied the reports. They say he is not in a coma although they acknowledge his condition is serious but stable. Last week, in an attempt to allay fears that he was on his deathbed, the Palestinian leadership released pictures of a smiling Arafat surrounded by ministers and aides. But away from the cameras, officials freely admit he is gravely ill. Since Arafat was airlifted to hospital last Friday, doctors carrying out tests on the 75-year old have ruled out leukaemia but they still do not know what is wrong with him. A briefing by the hospital had been expected at 11 a.m. (1000 GMT) but was put off without any explanation. It was not clear whether it would make any statement during the day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ EU summit set to begin in Brussels
The US election will undoubtedly feature at a European Union summit getting under way today, but it will not be the only topic on the agenda. Economic reform and the quest for a common immigration and asylum policy are also up for discussion between now and the weekend. Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi will be joining EU leaders in Brussels for what will amount to preliminary discussions ahead of the conference on Iraq due to take place in Egypt later this month. And then there is the question of the new European Commission. Incoming EC President Jose Manuel Barroso has had to
rejig the family photo to appease European parliamentarians. Italian
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is still the man expected to replace
controversial ultra-conservative Rocco Buttiglione. Buttiglione's
views on homosexuals and the role of women were the main reason for
the rejection of Barroso's original line-up. It is hoped a new-look
commission can be installed by early December at the latest. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated, 4 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bush: "New term opportunity to reach out to whole nation"
George W. Bush has given his election victory speech to party faithful in Washington DC. He has won a second term as US president after Democrat challenger John Kerry conceded defeat. Bush had a lead of nearly 4 million votes over Kerry nationwide. Kerry's phone call to the president to concede defeat ended one of the most closely fought elections in living memory. In his victory speech, President Bush said: "America has spoken, and I'm humbled by the trust and the confidence of my fellow citizens. With that trust comes a duty to serve all Americans. And I will do my best to fulfil that duty every day as your president. "In four historic years, America has been given great tasks and faced them with strength and courage. Our people have restored the vigor of this economy and shown resolve and patience in a new kind of war. "Our military has brought justice to the enemy and honour to America. Our nation has defended itself and served the freedom of all mankind. I'm proud to lead such an amazing country, and I'm proud to lead it forward. Because we have done the hard work, we are entering a season of hope. We will continue our economic progress. We'll reform our outdated tax code. "We'll strengthen the Social Security for the next generation. We'll make public schools all they can be. And we will uphold our deepest values of family and faith. We'll help the emerging democracies of Iraq and Afghanistan ... so they can grow in strength and defend their freedom. And then our service men and women will come home with the honour they have earned. "With good allies at our side, we will fight this war on terror with every resource of our national power so our children can live in freedom and in peace. Reaching these goals will require the broad support of Americans. So today I want to speak to every person who voted for my opponent. "To make this nation stronger and better, I will need your support and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to deserve your trust. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation. We have one country, one Constitution, and one future that binds us. Bush won 29 states with 274 electoral college votes. Kerry won 19 states and the District of Columbia, with 252 college votes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IRAQ. Falluja pounded ahead of offensive
Explosions rocked Fallujah as US forces intensified their bombardment of the rebel Iraqi city ahead of an anticipated offensive. Five people were reported to have been killed as warplanes and tanks struck at what US commanders claimed were insurgent targets. A doctor at one hospital said all the victims, who included a woman and a child, had been trying to flee the city in a car. There is no independent verification of either claims. Speculation about a US-led assault on Falluja has been growing since British troops were moved into an area south of Baghdad with the intention of freeing-up American forces. Iraq's US-backed interim government has vowed to retake all rebel-controlled cities before elections in January. Iraqi and US units are reportedly poised to strike at Falluja and neighbouring Ramadi and are waiting for the go-ahead from the Iraqi prime minister and the White House. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Last Updated, 3 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Election goes down to the wire in US
In America, it is still too close to say whether George W Bush has hung on to the presidency for another four years but with the calling of the crucial state of Florida by US television networks it is looking that way. Latest figures show that 25 states, including Florida and Missouri, have voted for Bush, according to exit polls, while 14 including Pennsylvania appear to have gone to Democratic challenger Senator John Kerry. The race in the other key swing state Ohio is still to close to call although with more than three quarters of the vote in, it appears to be edging towards the Republicans. So recent figures give Bush 246 of the electoral college votes, Kerry 206. The magic number to win the election is 270. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 2 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Long queues expected at US polling stations
Voting has begun in earnest in the United States with the electoral marathon kicking off early on the east coast. Virginia was the first state to open its ballot boxes at 7 in the morning, followed by Connecticut and New York. The big question is how many people will turn out to determine the most bitterly contested race in years. Queues are expected to be long in most polling stations with a record 125-million Americans expected to cast their ballots. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bush and Kerry campaign hard right up to the voting
If all goes well, the world should know by early Wednesday
morning (CET) who is going to be US President for the next four years. After rallying in Ohio, Michigan and Iowa, Bush ended the day in his home state, Texas. John Kerry's 16-hour marathon rally run included Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio. With the race too close to call, both sides have an army of legal experts on standby amid fears of a repeat of 2000's disputed result. But both sides say they do not think a protracted legal battle is likely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kerry takes campaign to his home state
The John Kerry campaign team is preparing for what it hopes is a victory party in his home town of Boston, Massachusetts. But no one is taking anything for granted. Campaign workers are also organising car pools to make sure that if a voter needs a ride to get to the ballot box, there is one available. Naturally, Kerry is the favourite among voters. "I feel the country is very divided right now and I'm hoping Kerry will win", one Bostonian said. Kerry might be at home but he is unlikely to relax. He is expected to break with tradition and campaign on election day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Deadly car bomb outside IRAQi Education Ministry
At least half a dozen people are dead and many more wounded after a car bomb exploded outside Iraq's Education Ministry in Baghdad. The blast in the mainly Sunni Muslim Adhamiya district badly damaged the ministry building and destroyed half a dozen vehicles. And while US air raids continue in the restive city of Fallujah, as part of a drive to root out insurgents and foreign militants, officials are investigating the death of the first British female soldier in Basra. The military policewoman died from a gunshot wound at an army base, but her death was said to have been caused by what the army refers to as a "non-hostile incident". The latest violence in Iraq comes as the US begins to increase its troop numbers to provide security for elections due in January. About 4,000 new soldiers are being added to the current US force of 138,000. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yanukovich has narrow lead in Ukraine poll
Ukraine's prime minister has eked out a lead of less than one percent over his challenger in the country's tightest presidential election of post-Soviet times. With more than 94 percent of the votes counted, Viktor Yanukovich had 40.12 percent to Viktor Yushenko's 39.18 percent. It is hardly the clear victory Yanukovich had hoped for - he now faces a run-off later this month - and international observers have declared the election fell short of European standards. But Yanukovich was upbeat. "Ukrainian voters have taken a further step forward on the path of strengthening the state," he said. "They are solving the problems they face through constructive dialogue and by participating in the democratic process." Challenger Viktor Yushenko said the partial results did not tally with two exit polls which gave him the lead. "Our parallel count which my headquarters has provided gives me 50.34 percent and Viktor Yanukovich 27.86 percent," he said. Draconian security measures were in place to prevent disturbances. The Yushenko camp vowed to stage mass protests if it deemed the result to be fraudulent. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Last Updated, 1 November, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kerry gets a boost from "the Boss"
With just a few days to go until the US presidential election, rock star Bruce Springstein has given Senator John Kerry a helping hand at a rally in Madison, Wisconsin. . Buoyed by the 80,000-strong crowd, Kerry joked that when George W. Bush heard that "the Boss" was playing at the rally, the president thought Dick Cheyney was turning up. He also broached more serious issues - blaming Bush for the fact that 380 tons of explosives have gone missing in Iraq. "And now George Bush's shifting explanations and efforts to blame everybody except themselves is evidence that he believes the buck stops anywhere but with the president," said Kerry. "And we need a president who takes responsibility and understands what being Commander in Chief is all about." Iraq and terrorism have dominated the contest. An ill-timed report for Bush in the Lancet medical journal claims 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died since the US-led invasion. It is the fourth day that the candidates for the White House have been at odds over the disappearance of the weapons. Bush sought to turn that controversy against his opponent. "This week Senator Kerry is again attacking the actions of our military in Iraq, with complete disregard for the facts," he said. Polls show the contenders are neck and neck. Analysts predict a tight finish in the November 2 election. |
