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Blair takes Iraq to parliament
The British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been outlining the need for action against Iraq and Saddam Hussein's regime to parliament. He questioned whether it would be wise for the world to sit back and do nothing. He said, "The intelligence picture gathered over the past four years is extensive and detailed. Iraq has chemical and biological weapons, and Saddam continues to produce them. He has existing and active plans for their use, which could be activated in 45 minutes against his own population and he is actively trying to obtain nuclear weapons". Blair's statement followed the publication of his much-awaited dossier of evidence against Saddam Hussein. The document was made public as a way of quietening the growing voices of dissent about a war on Iraq. Many high profile figures, including some from within Blair's own party, have expressed doubts over the need for military action. Baghdad dismisses Blair dossier
The Iraqi leadership has describes British Prime Minister Tony Blair's dossier as "baseless." Opening an exhibition of children's art in Baghdad, Iraq's Culture Minister denied the regime has any weapons of mass destruction. UN weapons inspectors proved that before 1998, he insisted, adding that the world knows the arms were destroyed either by the inspectors or Iraq itself. He was confident Blair's own Labour Party would challenge the legitimacy of the claims during the parliamentary debate. "Mr Blair is part of the Zionist campaign against Iraq," Hamed Yousef Hamadi said "All his claims are baseless." Amidst the crisis, a group of American peace activists visited hospitals in the Iraqi capital and sent a clear message to London and Washington. "The people of Iraq and the people of the United States can live in peace," one member of the group said. The activists brought around 30.000 euro worth of medical aid. They will also assess claims that the UN sanctions have blocked supplies reaching hospitals. US abstains from UN vote calling for end to Ramallah siege
The United Nations Security Council has called on Israel to end its siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah. After marathon talks, the Council adopted a compromise text drafted by Europe, that also calls on the Palestinian Authority to rein in militants. The United States has described the resolution as one sided but did not use its veto, deciding instead to abstain from the vote. A senior Israeli official claims the siege will continue despite the UN's demands. Around 250 people are inside the Muqata surrounded by Israeli troops. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said the forces will stay until around fifty wanted men holed up in the compound give themselves up. Arafat has apparently forbidden any surrender, saying he is ready for peace but not for capitulation. ETA bomb squad misses target
Two suspected ETA members have been killed in an explosion in Bilbao when the car they were preparing with a bomb blew up prematurely. The explosion went off near a building site in a sparsely populated area, and no-one else was hurt. Police discovered radio control equipment, false number plates, and a pistol in the wrecked car, which leads them to believe they were ETA members. The representative of the Madrid government in the Basque country, Enrique Villar expressed relief that there had been no innocent victims, and said the deaths were a tragedy, but millions of people would sleep more soundly knowing that a possible attack had failed , but that the deaths were tragic he would not wish this sort of death on anyone; all deaths like these were to be regretted, but he added people shouldn't forget ETA killed when it could. Since the beginning of ETA's violent campaign 46 of its members have been killed, five in the last two years. It's last bomb attack was in August, when a restaurant near Alicante was damaged, without casualties.. Gunbattle mars the start of voting in Indian administered Kashmir
Fierce gunbattles have broken out in Srinagar between security forces and suspected militants opposed to elections. The separatists took three policemen hostage in a house close to one of the main polling stations. Witnesses say they heard explosions in the area and a fire broke out in part of the house. Three policemen were rescued but at least one died. Up to 500 people have been killed since the elections were announced in August. India hopes the vote will boost the legitimacy of its rule in Jammu and Kashmir but Pakistan dismisses the four-stage election as a farce. New Dehli also sees it as a test of Islamabad's pledge to rein in Islamic militants, whose raids last year led to a military standoff between the nuclear rivals. Spaniards get into wife shopping
With the problems of rural depopulation and economic crisis much in the news, in Spain some single men are tackling the problem by organising mass blind dates, and bringing in coach loads of single women, even if some aren't ready to settle down in the middle of nowhere. Some women say they come to these sort of events for a bit of fun, and to meet people and make friends. Others, however, know what they want, and that's to find a husband and have children. With some music, and wine, the chemistry's laid on for the ladies to find their Mr. Right, and even if not all the men in the village think there's a shortage of eligible ladies, they're not going to pass up the chance to party. But it's a way of crossing the deep social divides that separate men from women insists organiser Mariano Navas, even if some of his mates laughed at the idea. Still, love's a serious business, and if you can't dance, you'll be out of luck, but by the end of the day Eros had hit a few targets. |
