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Putin pledge as criticism over hostage deaths grows
As criticism grows about the number of hostages killed in the rescue operation to end the Moscow theatre siege, Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has told Parliament Russia will "make no deals with terrorists and will not give in to blackmail". On the streets, the suffering of those still searching for loved ones is clear. One woman in floods of tears said: "My heart is broken by through pain and helplessness. I haven't slept for days." At least 117 hostages died in the rescue operation - all but two from the effects of the gas. Some 230 survivors have now been released from hospital, but doctors are still treating around 450 for poisoning. Of those, 150 are in intensive care and 45 are in a critical condition. Football matches and entertainments have been cancelled across Russia while schools observed a minute's silence in memory of the dead. But the public is divided over whether the deaths were inevitable. Some feel the authorities could have done a better job. Others say it is a great pity but there was no other way. Putin has defended the action before Parliament, but this crisis looks set to dent his popularity at home and abroad.
What was the mystery gas?
So what exactly did happen on that fateful morning? That is a question many want answered. An operation, which was supposed to save the hostages, ending up killing more than a sixth of them. An interview with two of the troops who took part in the operation has shed little new light on the proceedings. One soldier said: "We were moving secretly from the hospital building to the theatre and we gathered together at the building from each side where the poster for the show was located. We got into the building, and we were met with machine gun fire and the rebels threw a grenade. We shot back and killed one terrorist. We came into the room with Barayev. We were again met by machine gun fire. We shot back and we had to use two grenades - it was at this point that Barayev was killed." There was no mention of the gas though. It was supposed to subdue the rebels, but ended up killing so many hostages. Russian officials have so far failed to reveal what the gas was, comparing it only to anaesthetic. That has angered medical staff, who can therefore can only guess at the measures to take. They say if the Russian forces knew what they were using, why didn't they have sufficient antidotes ready, and why weren't there enough ambulances put on standby so people could get immediate care, instead of being bundled onto buses? Could more lives have been saved? Lula promises Brazil stronger economy under his presidency
Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has ushered in a new era as the country's first elected leftist leader. Voters gave Lula 61 percent of their ballots in yesterday's runoff vote, handing him a wide enough mandate to change the course of Latin America's largest country. The ruling party's candidate Jose Serra took around 39 per cent. Lula celebrated along with tens of thousands of supporters waving the flag of his Workers' Party. The former union leader gets to govern the world's fourth most populous democracy after three unsuccessful attempts. He told his supporters: "Brazil's changing peacefully, and the most important thing is that hope wins out over fear." During campaigning, 57-year-old Lula was careful to reach out to business leaders. Fears that he will mismanage the economy have driven Brazil's financial markets to record lows this year. He has now promised to work around the clock to improve the lot of Brazil's 170 million people, 50 million of whom live in poverty: "I'm going to make the biggest effort a human can make so that our people can rise up again, so I can give them back their happiness and hope, make our economy grow again and create wealth and the jobs we so badly need." His government will take over in January.
American diplomat assassinated in Jordan
A senior American diplomat has been shot dead outside his home in Jordan. Witnesses say a lone gunman fired repeatedly at Lawrence Foley as he left to go to work. The assailant then fled the scene. Mr Foley worked for the US Agency for International Development in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The attack has sent shockwaves through the diplomatic community in Jordan, one of the US's closest allies in the Middle East. All western embassies are now on high alert and some may shut down temporarily. Jordan's information minister, Mohammad Adwan, described the assassination as an "attack on the country and its national security". A murder inquiry is underway. Gale force winds hit Europe
Gale force winds have left a trail of destruction across Europe, and claimed at least 27 lives. In northern France, fire fighters were called out to hundreds of incidents. Yesterday's storms killed four people in France and created delays to train journeys. In the Netherlands, four people died including two who were blown into the North Sea. In Britain, around 100,000 people were without electricity in eastern England this morning; one electricity company called on engineers from France to help restore power supplies. In all, seven people were killed in Britain. Most of them were hit by falling trees and branches, as the winds reached 155 kilometres an hour. Transport was badly hit, with several major roads and bridges closed. Train companies, ferry operators and airlines were forced to suspend or delay services. For light aircraft the gales proved a nightmare; the pilot of one had a lucky escape after crashing into another plane. In Germany the winds have killed at least 10 people. Overnight the storms moved east to Berlin, uprooting trees and bringing down scaffolding around historical restoration works. While most of those killed were hit by falling trees, one farmer died after being struck by lightning. Etna comes back to life
Mount Etna has erupted once more, sending shockwaves through the Italian island of Sicily. A series of earthquakes awakened Europe's highest and most active volcano. The result was dramatic with huge clouds of ash, streams of burning magma and rivers of boiling lava pouring down its sides. Civil protection officials have been doing their best to keep locals and tourists out of danger. While in Sicily's second biggest city, Catania, which stands in the shadow of Etna, the airport was closed for safety reasons after a thick blanket of volcanic ash gathered on the runway. The flow has knocked down power lines and swallowed a ski school hut. No one, as yet, has been injured but concern for public safety remains high. |
