From the World-Wide Resourses of the Western Australia Reserch Senter(*) OIL THE NEWS THAT FITS MY VIEWS #42 =============================== In the Run-Up to World War III, Reliably Reporting the News Relevant to Extreme Right-Wing Democratic Socialists Everywhere (validated for RiteThink(tm) by the Office of Our Man in Can-berra). Visit Our Home Page At: http://www.chickenhead.com/loserscopes/ See the Undeniable Evidence At: http://www.evil-doers.org/evidence This Stuff Blogged At: http://kymhorsell.blogspot.com/ Also Kindly Archived At: http://www.kymhorsell.com/OIL/ Iraqi Body Count: http://www.iraqbodycount.net/ [2,197+ as at 4 May 2003]. ------------------------------------------------------------ Selecting latest news stories and other data for you... ------------------------------------------------------------ I've always expressed my concerns that the Iranians may be developing a nuclear program. -- Pres Bush Jr, 9 May 2003. Latest target for regime change. Make no mistake, what Iran is pursuing raises very troublesome issues, particularly given the fact that Iran is a nation that is rich in oil and rich in gas. -- Whitehouse mouth Ari Fleischer, 9 May 2003. Playing that old familiar restrain. ---------------------------------------- Fri, 09 May 2003. US applies pressure to find Iran in nuclear breach: report US steps up pressure on Iran Baghdad liable for Sep 11: judge US, Brit push postwar Iraq setup AUS to get Iraqi contracts US calls on France, Russia to drop opp'n to Iraq sanctions Stabilisation force for Iraq under discussion in London Judicial system cranks up in Iraq Greenback falls as Europe leaves rates on hold India rejects suggestion to give up nuclear weapons Rebels kill 9 in India: reports WHO steps up SARS travel warnings Halting SARS "not rocket science" Calls to boost health assistance Russia considers severing China links over SARS Qantas passengers being contacted after meningococcal scare Cancer vaccines may be only 5 y away Court wins against email spammer Sheep stn is new nuke dump Aust at risk of becoming the "dumb country": lobby groups ATSIC seeking inclusion in UN body Police crack tri-state drug syndicate WWI veteran passes away in SYD Electricity rationing in NZ Stomach bug strikes US applies pressure to find Iran in nuclear breach: report Washington. A report from America says the Bush Admin is pressuring nations in the Internat'l Atomic Energy Agency to declare Iran in violation of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. If found in breach Iran could face punitive action by the UN. American officials have told The NY Times intelligence reports have convinced them a uranium enrichment plant at Natanz in central Iran is a weapons facility. The paper quotes one Admin official as saying "we've only recently learned some things about their program that have been going on for 2 years." Iran maintains the plant is for purely peaceful purposes. The US lobbying effort coincides with a request to Congress by the Bush Admin to continue funding research on modifying existing types of nuclear weapons to enable them to destroy deeply buried targets. US steps up pressure on Iran Washington. The US has called Iran's nuclear programs "very troublesome". Pres George W Bush says he will take the lead in preventing the spread of WMD. US officials say Iran has done little to cooperate with UN inspectors examining its nuclear program. That reinforces Washington's view that Tehran is violating the 1970 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and should face more internat'l pressure. Mr Bush told reporters after meeting the Emir of Qatar that he would "wait and see" what the Internat'l Atomic Energy Agency, the UN body overseeing compliance with the treaty's commitments, said after its meeting next month. The UN nuclear watchdog is not ready, despite US pressure, to decide whether Iran's atomic power program violates the proliferation accord, diplomats say. If dir-gen Mohamed El Baradei reports to the UN agency's board of governors that Iran is not in compliance with the treaty, it could create another nuclear face-off for the US. The US is already locked in confrontation with N Korea. The Bush Admin is grappling with the issue now that the Iraq war is winding down. The Asst Sec of State for Non-Proliferation, John Wolf, said last week: "Iran provides perhaps the most fundamental challenge ever faced by the Non-Proliferation Treaty". [Other reports indicate the US itself is moving to develop new kinds of low-yield nuclear weapons]. Baghdad liable for Sep 11: judge NY (Newsday). A US fed judge has ruled that Iraq provided material support to Osama bin Laden and his terrorist group al-Qaeda for the Sep 11, 2001, attack and is liable to pay $US104 mn ($163 million) in damages to 2 victims' families. The ruling, by Manhattan District Judge Harold Baer, is the 1st court decision stemming from the Sep 11 terrorist attacks. The families of George Eric Smith, 38, and Timothy Soulas, 35, filed separate lawsuits based on the theory that Iraq had helped bin Laden carry out the attack. Similar suits have been filed relating to the attacks, but this was the first to reach the damages phase. In March Judge Baer was the 1st judge to hold a hearing to determine damages after making a default judgement in Jan against the Taliban, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and the Republic of Iraq. He made the finding after public announcements regarding the lawsuits in newspapers in Afghanistan and Iraq failed to draw any response from any defendants. During the 2-day hearing lawyers for the 2 families presented evidence that established a "conclusive link" between Saddam's Iraq and bin Laden's terrorist army. The evidence included slides and de-classified interviews with Iraqi military leaders who defected. They told a TV news program that Saddam had a jet parked in a remote area of Iraq that, they claimed, was used to train hijackers. Evidence also featured the testimony of a former CIA director, James Woolsey. Baer ruled that Mr Smith, who worked on the 97th floor of the World Trade Centre's south tower, presumably died while descending the stairs as the second hijacked aircraft hit the tower. Mr Soulas, who worked in the north tower, survived the impact of the 1st aircraft's crash, Judge Baer wrote. Minutes later Mr Soulas phoned a client and told him that the exits were blocked and they were "doomed". The plaintiffs' lawyer, James Beasley, has said he is seeking Iraqi and bin Laden assets seized by the US Govt. US, Brit push postwar Iraq setup NY (AP). The US and Brit are seeking UN approval to run Iraq for at least a y in an American proposal that also limits the UN's role in the country, council diplomats said Thu. The long-awaited US draft resolution, to be introduced at the UN Sec Council on Fri, outlines a US vision for postwar Iraq sharply at odds with that of several Sec Council members, particularly Russia. It would end UN control over Iraq's oil revenue and let the US-led coalition use the country's vast oil wealth to help finance its reconstruction -- with internat'l oversight. The US proposal calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Iraq and would phase out over a 4-month period the oil-for-food humanitarian program, which has been feeding 90% of Iraq's 24 mn people. It does not mention any role for UN weapons inspectors, whose return to Iraq Washington opposes. The resolution would also approve a "coalition provisional authority," run by Washington and London, to govern Iraq -- and it apparently foresees a lengthy stay. Under the proposal, the 12-m initial authorisation would be automatically renewed unless the Sec Council decided otherwise, the council diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Since the US and Brit have veto power in the council, they could block any attempt to get them to leave Iraq -- which is likely to be unacceptable to some council members. The US could also face opp'n from council members that want the world body to be a major player in creating an interim govt for Iraq. The draft resolution does not define the makeup or duties of a provisional govt, which if approved would effectively leave it up to the US and Brit to decide. The US and Brit sent a letter to the council president late Thu outlining their role as the "coalition provisional authority" in Iraq, council diplomats said, without revealing any details of its contents. The council faces a deadline just 4 weeks from now when the current six-month phase of the oil-for-food program expires. There is little enthusiasm for another bruising battle following the bitter debate earlier this y over the war itself, which shattered the council's unity and left France, Russia, Germany and China at odds with the US, Brit and Spain. Nonetheless, council diplomats predict a tough round of negotiations. Russia and France have made their own proposals. Russia wants UN weapons inspectors to return to Baghdad to certify that Iraq's weapons of mass destruction have been eliminated before sanctions are lifted. It also wants the oil-for-food program continued under UN Sec Gen Kofi Annan's authority until Iraq has a legitimate govt and sanctions are lifted. The French proposal calls on the council to suspend sanctions, phase out the oil-for-food program, have US and UN weapons inspectors work together, and lift sanctions when a legitimate Iraqi govt is in place. The oil-for-food program was created in 1996 to help ordinary Iraqis cope with sanctions, allowing Iraq to sell oil and requiring it to use the proceeds to buy food and medicine under UN monitoring. Phasing out the oil-for-food program would end UN control over Iraq's oil revenues. The US draft resolution would continue Annan's control over humanitarian contracts during the 4-month phase-out, to speed badly needed food and medicine to Iraq. When the oil-for-food program ends, the US and Brit want the food distribution to continue under the Iraqi provisional Admin, which is expected to be operating by then, council diplomats said. On the oil side, Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organisation would be restructured and resume selling oil, the diplomats said. Proceeds would go into an "Iraqi Assistance Fund" overseen by Annan, the World Bank, the IMF and a team of internat'l auditors they select. Under the oil-for-food program, victims of the 1st Gulf War received 25% of Iraq's oil revenue. The new draft proposes a much lower figure, between 5 and 10%, council diplomats said. Perth. AUS TO GET IRAQI CONTRACTS! AUS For Min Alex Downer says negotiations for lucrative contracts to rebuild Iraq are going well. Mr Downer predicted Aussie companies will get a number of contracts to reconstruct the war-damaged country. Earlier today, a snr US aid official warned AUS companies to expect no favours in the fight for the reconstruction money, despite AUS's leading role in the war coalition. US calls on France, Russia to drop opp'n to Iraq sanctions Washington. The US Govt has called on France and Russia to drop their opp'n to lifting UN sanctions on Iraq. The US will present a draft resolution to the UN Security Council tomorrow, that would completely end the sanctions imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. The US ambassador to the UN, John Negroponte, says lengthy discussions are unnecessary. Russia and France, both with lucrative contracts under the oil for food program have opposed winding up the sanctions regime until Iraq is declared free of weapons of mass destruction by the UN. But Mr Negroponte says there is no longer a role for the UN in the weapons area. The US draft will be tabled in the Sec Council tomorrow. Stabilisation force for Iraq under discussion in London London. Senior AUS military personnel are taking part in a series of internat'l meetings in London, aimed at creating a multi-nat'l stabilisation force in Iraq. Officials from about 15 countries are involved in the meetings. A Brit Defence Ministry rep said the meetings were bringing together those countries which have troops on the ground in Iraq with those who are considering offering to participate in the new force. Amongst those involved is Germany, which is looking at contributing soldiers to the stabilisation force despite its opp'n to the war in Iraq. Polish officials have said they may send 4,000 troops which could make them the 3rd biggest contingent behind America and Brit. Some countries may send engineers, doctors and other non-combat personnel. Judicial system cranks up in Iraq Baghdad. The Iraqi judicial system has begun limited work again with the 1st court sitting since the fall of Saddam Hussein. It came as a US adviser to the Iraqi Justice Ministry said a special court may be set up to try members of the former regime for crimes against the Iraqi people. For the 1st time in weeks, prisoners were dealt with before judges who were appointed by the old regime where the justice system had been abused and detention, torture and death regularly dealt up. The 13 accused faced a variety of charges. The courts are using a legal code that existed before 1969. It will eliminate amendments that contravened internat'l conventions. An American judicial adviser, Clint Williamson, said a tribunal to prosecute crimes against the Iraqi people could sit for y and would mean special support systems. He said it was up to the Iraqi courts to lead the way and decide how past crimes against a nation should be handled. Greenback falls as Europe leaves rates on hold Sydney. European interest rates have been left on hold, triggering a further slide in the USD. The European Central Bank has decided against any reduction in rates, despite growing indications of weakness in the euro-zone economy. However, ECB president Wim Duisenberg has indicated there was very extensive consideration given to the decision in the light of growth prospects. The Bank of England has also left its rates unchanged overnight. On currency markets, the euro has surged to a 4-year high and has been above 1.15 to the USD. The AUD has been pulled along in the tail winds. It has been up as far as 64.47 US cents in the latest offshore trade, the highest it has been since Jan 2000. At 7.00 am, the local currency was trading at around 64.17 US cents, up more than half a cent on yesterday's local close. The gold price had jumped to $US348.60 an ounce, with West Texas crude oil at $US26.94 a barrel. India rejects suggestion to give up nuclear weapons New Delhi. The 78 yo Indian PM, Atal Behari Vajpayee, has rejected a suggestion by Pakistan that both countries give up their nuclear weapons, saying India's security concerns are not limited to Pakistan. Intervening in a debate on India-Pakistan ties in the parliament, Mr Vajpayee said unlike its arch-rival, India's atomic program was not aimed at Pakistan. Mr Vajpayee, however, added that he was committed to the peace process with Pakistan, saying that other options were not befitting of India's stature. Rebels kill 9 in India: reports Tripura. Separatist rebels in India have reportedly killed 9 Bengali villagers in the NE state of Tripura. The separatists had earlier killed another 21 Bengalis in 2 attacks. Police say the latest killings took place in a village market at Moharcherra, about 55 km E of Tripura's capital, Agartala. The rebels, dressed in army fatigues, opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons as people in the market were preparing to close their shops. Police have blamed the attack on the All Tripura Tiger Force, the same rebel group that is suspected to have carried out one of the 2 attacks against Bengalis on Wed . The group has been fighting for 10 y for an independent homeland for Tripura's tribal community, which makes up 30% of the state's 3.1 million population. The group is banned by India's Govt. Meanwhile, all political parties in the state called a general strike to protest the killings. WHO steps up SARS travel warnings Geneva. The WHO has advised against travel to 2 more provinces in China and to Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The provinces are Inner Mongolia and Tianjin. At the same time, WHO experts have started heading into China's hinterland, where they fear SARS is beginning to spread fast. China admits its rural health care system will not be able to cope if SARS takes a grip in its rural areas like it has in Beijing. Beijing has recorded the most infections and deaths anywhere in the world. Per head of population, though, the new virus has affected only a miniscule number of Chinese citizens. Still, the Communist authorities are stepping up efforts to stamp out SARS, as they warn the economy is now starting to feel the effects of the outbreak. Halting SARS "not rocket science" Hanoi. An Aussie woman responsible for monitoring SARS in Vietnam says the strategy to contain the virus is not a mystery. Aileen Plant, from Perth's Curtin University, is heading the World Health Organisation's Vietnam office after its former chief doctor died of the illness in March. Prof Plant says the virus in Vietnam was contained using standard infection control procedures. She says affected countries including Canada, China and HK are unlucky because the disease came out of the blue and spread so quickly. She says the self-quarantine practices employed in AUS schools are an indication of how well prepared the country is for severe acute respiratory syndrome. Bangkok. CALLS TO BOOST HEALTH ASSISTANCE! A snr US epidemiologist says AUS and other developed nations need to boost health assistance to less developed states in Asia threatened by the SARS virus. The demand has come from the Chief epidemiologist with the US Centres for Disease Control program in Thailand, Sonja Olsen. She says the SARS virus is already placing a tremendous financial strain on the health sectors of many Asian countries. Russia considers severing China links over SARS Moscow. Russian authorities have ordered all airlines to stop selling tickets for flights to China because of fears about the spread of the SARS virus. The move comes after the health ministry announced a young man in E Russia is showing the symptoms of the pneumonia-like illness. Airlines and freight companies have been told to prepare for the possibility of a complete and immediate halt to air links with China. But it may already be too late for Russia. The chief medic at the health ministry has said a 25-yo man, in eastern Russia, is showing the symptoms of SARS. It is almost certain, he said, that the man will be Russia's 1st confirmed SARS case. Local officials in the Amur region have announced Chinese citizens will not be allowed to enter Russia, but the 2 countries share a 4,000-km-long border and SARS may have already crossed it. Qantas passengers being contacted after meningococcal scare Sydney. Health authorities are contacting people who travelled on a Qantas flight last wk after confirming 2 passengers have meningococcal disease. The women were on Qantas flight 108 from Los Angeles to SYD last Thu, May 1. Both have responded to treatment and are recovering. NSW Health says passengers who were on the flight should be aware of the symptoms of meningococcal disease which include a sudden fever, headache, nausea and drowsiness. But the director of communicable diseases, Dr Jeremy McAnulty, says passengers should not be alarmed. Cancer vaccines may be only 5 y away Brisbane. Cancer vaccines could be available in AUS within the next five years. The Royal Aus'ian College of Surgeons conference in Bris has been told of successful AUS trials where patients have been vaccinated against melanomas, breast, cervical and colon cancer. While it will take some time, Adel surgeon Brendon Coventry says cancer vaccines are a realistic possibility. "It's been difficult to try and understand why some of the vaccines have been so successful in some of the patients," Dr Coventry said. "In trials ... going on all around AUS we've had quite remarkable successes with vaccine treatment with patients with disease that would seem otherwise impossible to treat." Court wins against email spammer LA (AFP). US Internet service provider EarthLink yesterday said it had won a $multi-mn lawsuit against a man who sent more than 800 mn junk emails over the Internet. EarthLink said in a statement that US District Court Judge Thomas Thrash granted EarthLink's requests for $US16.4 mn in damages and an injunction against Howard Carmack, known as the "Buffalo Spammer". The company had claimed Carmack sent 825 mn spam emails. Spam, or unsolicited e-mail that often includes ads for porn sites or get-rich-quick schemes, have become a growing problem for Internet users and companies. EarthLink said the ruling opens the door to individuals and other ISP's to bring legal action against Carmack. EarthLink said the injunction prevents Carmack from "ever again illegally spamming any Internet user, regardless of the user's ISP," or Internet service provider. EarthLink alleged that Carmack and his accomplices had used stolen credit cards, identity theft, banking fraud and other illegal activities to fraudulently purchase 100s of Internet accounts and send out unsolicited e-mails for "work at home" and get rich quick schemes, bulk e-mail software and lists to be used by other spammers, and cable TV descramblers. Last year, EarthLink obtained a $US25 mn dollar judgement against an operation that generated more than one bn e-mails. Canberra. SHEEP STN IS NEW NUKE DUMP! A sheep stn nr Woomera in SA has been named as the nation's low level nuclear waste dump. 2 sites nr Woomera in outback SA were shortlisted for AUS's first LL dump -- the Arcoona sheep stn and another site owned by WMC Resources. Fed Sci Min Peter McGauran says he's selected the Arcoona sheep stn as the site because it has better security, a less environmentally sensitive access route and more saline water. Woomera to house nation's low-level radioactive waste. Canberra. The Fed Govt has confirmed that a sheep station nr Woomera, in SA's far north, will house a nat'l low-level radioactive waste dump. Fed Science Min Peter McGauran made the announcement in Adel. However, the Commonwealth faces a number of hurdles. SA Prem Mike Rann says the Commonwealth is in for a protracted battle. "We're going to make sure that they're absolutely bogged down legally as well as politically, every inch along the way to stop this thing," he said. Station owner Leanne Pobke is worried about security. But Fed Science Min Peter McGauran says it would be fruitless to try and fight the decision. Meanwhile, the SA Govt fears that the state would also be targeted to house a medium-level dump have been quashed by the Commonwealth, with the Fed Govt ruling that possibility out. There is no word yet on alternative sites but WA, the Northern Territory and Qld have all been looked at in the past. Fed Member for Solomon Dave Tollner says the Territory has some of the most seismologically safe land in AUS. But NT Chief Min Clare Martin says the idea is absurd. ATSIC says it is angry and disgusted with the siting of the low-level dump. SA's ATSIC N regional chairman, Alwyn McKenzie, says the Commonwealth has contravened the wishes of the local Kokatha people. But SA Sen Meg Lees has conceded the low-level waste dump will not necessarily remain a strong political issue. Aust at risk of becoming the "dumb country": lobby groups Sydney. Education groups have warned that AUS runs the risk of becoming a "dumb country" if the Fed Govt proceeds with anticipated funding cuts to higher education. The Fed Opposition and minor political parties have vowed to block changes to the higher education system expected to be announced in next week's Fed Budget. More than 200 people, including politicians and students, attended a public forum in SYD last night to protest against the widely touted changes. They fear the Govt plans to increase HECS fees, double the number of full fee paying students, attack voluntary student unionism and cut research budgets. Labor, the Democrats and the Greens have declared they will oppose the changes, known as the crossroads package, in the Senate. Dems Sen Natasha Stott-Despoja says under the changes, only the wealthy will be able to afford a tertiary education. The assistant secretary of the ACTU, Richard Marles, says the changes will undermine the tertiary education system. ATSIC seeking inclusion in UN body Canberra. AUS's peak Indigenous body is set to move towards securing a leading role in a key new UN organisation. The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is meeting in NY next week. ATSIC chairman Geoff Clark says he will be attending to ensure AUS's Indigenous views are taken into account on major policy issues. He says subjects up for discussion include economic and social development, native title, health, education, human rights, culture and the environment. This will be only the 2nd session of the permanent forum since it was established by a resolution of the UN's Economic and Social Council in July 2000. Police crack tri-state drug syndicate Sydney. Police say they have uncovered a drug syndicate with links to 3 states in SYD. They have charged a 49-yo man and allege he is the mastermind of a group that set up the lab to make illegal drugs in a SYD house. Officers say they have collected chemicals and equipment from S AUS, Qld and NSW. DI Paul Willingham says the chemicals found could have been used to make several kilos of drugs. Insp Willingham says police have arrested "the principal player that operated the syndicate". He says investigations are continuing concerning others involved in the operation. WWI veteran passes away in SYD Sydney. One of AUS's last surviving World War One veterans has died in SYD. Robert Dunford was a gunner with the First Division Ammunition Column. He enlisted as a 19-yo and arrived in France as the armistice was being signed but stayed a y on the W front to help clear the battlefields of France and Belgium. Mr Dunford died in a nursing home in Turramurra in N SYD on Wed night. His funeral will be held on Mon. Wellington. ELECTRICITY RATIONING IN NZ! NZ-ers have been warned to prepare for cold showers and other rationing measures if they don't radically cut back on their power usage within 2 wks. Fin Min Michael Cullen says only rain or greater electricity conservation can head off supply cuts. The govt urged people last m to last nationwide electricity use by 10%, as the S Hemisphere winter sets in. So far they've managed only 4.5%. Nearly 3/4 of NZ power is hydro. Sydney. STOMACH BUG STRIKES! Doctors believe a common stomach bug may have led to the hospitalisation of more than 30 NSW school students on an overnight excursion to a zoo. The children were rushed to Dubbo Base Hosp about 1 am today after complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting while staying at the Wambangalang Field Centre at Western Plains Zoo, outside Dubbo in the state's C W. Macquarie Area Health Service rep Tony Webber says doctors are still waiting on test and pathology results. {{ Continuous news 6.30 pm PM Howard has revealed he's known of the rape allegations against GG Hollingworth for 5 m. He said the GG had "kept him informed". While calls continue to have Hollingworth at least stand aside while the trial proceeds, others aren't sure this is either legal or practical. Technically, Hollingworth is the head of the AUS armed forces. The US is pushing for the removal of sanctions against Iraq. It would give the US unprecedented control over Iraq's oil production. A draft proposal would see $16 bn in payments made out of Iraq's oil-for-food program to pre-GWII creditors, the removal of all UN trade and other sanctions, and the establishment of the US as an "advisor" to the Iraqi oil industry. The US would effectively control the industry until an independent Iraqi govt was established -- a process that may take years. SK says it's seen signs that nuclear processing is proceeding at Yongbyon. They want the N may be about to ramp up the tension by taking some kind of military action. India has tested an air-to-air missile today in the W state of Orissa. The missile is believed to have a range of around 40 km. The test came after discussions between India and Pak after a 16-m standoff. India says it's concerned with the security of the whole SE Asian region. Presently visiting US Dep Sec of State Armitage says he's cautiously optimistic that all aspects of the relationship between Pak and India might be addressed in future talks. He said he's gained assurances from Pak that it was not backing Islamic terrorists in India/Kashmir. The WHO has extended travel warnings to incl Taipei. Inner Mongolia and another rural prov of China have also been included. It has also revised the official death rate from 5% to 15% of those people suffering from SARS symptoms. It says 50% of those over 65 will die from the disease if they catch it. The ADF has revealed Aussie SAS forces entered the W desert of Iraq within 24 hrs of the announcement by the PM announced AUS was in the war. The Aussies were engaged in daily battles as they swept through their assigned area, destroying missile launchers and other equipment. The USD fallen 20% against the euro in the past 12 m. And analysts say it has further to fall yet. The AUD is presently 64.35 US c. AMP went down to $4.94 after a takeover was ruled out today. Investors then went on a buying binge to take it to $5.28 -- higher than last night's close. The All Ords closed steady at 2,982. In the US the Dow was down 1%. The FTSE closed down 1.6%. The German Dax ended the session there 4% down. In Japan, the Nikkei closed up 1.5%. 9 pm About 200 people are feared dead in DRC after an airplane door burst open while it was at an altitude of 2.2 km most of the passengers were blown out the soviet-era plane was en route from Kinshasa to Lubumbashi it managed to return to Kinshasa after the accident. "God's law". Revenge killings are sweeping Iraq, as those persecuted under the Saddam regime exact revenge on those they claim persecuted them. The US forces say they're over-stretched, and have called on the Iraqi police and even vigilante groups to reign in the killings. 2 am DW radio. Further to the DRC plane accident. About 40 passengers survived after the ramp on an Il-76 aircraft opened during flight. About 140 were blown out of the aircraft which has flying at 7,000 ft at the time. The US has set a deadline of Jun 3 for the removal of all UN sanctions against Iraq. It wants all funds for Iraqi oil managed by the Iraqi central bank. 31 people have been killed in E Congo as rival tribes fight for supremacy. Trouble flared on Thu after the departure of Ugandan troops on Thu. About 150 people have fled across the border to Uganda. 40 Kenyans have drowned in flooding during 3 wks of heavy rains. Germany has charged a suspected terrorist in connection with the 9/11 attack. The 30 yo Moroccan man is the 3rd person world-wide to be charged in connection with the attack. Authorities believe the suspect was a member of the same cell as organiser and pilot of one of the aircraft that flew into the WTC, Mohammad Atta. In Feb a Hamburg Court convicted another Moroccan man accused of connection with the attack. Reports from Afghanistan indicate the Taliban may be re-grouping in S Pakistan and elsewhere. The news comes as the US announces a $100 mn program to help re-build the country after the US-led regime-change. 2 labour activists were jailed in China last Fri after organising one of the largest protests in China in recent years. They were also accused of forming relationships with "hostile foreign forces" and media. The 2 were sentenced to 7 and 4 y. They had called 30,000 workers to the streets in Mar and Apr 1 ya. The protest was successful in removing corrupt officials and getting labour reforms. The protests were peaceful and apparently justified, considering the subsequent concessions from the govt. Requests to the highest levels of the Chinese govt by the UN, France and Germany for the release of the 2 seems to have played a role in the slow sentencing, that was originally due in Jan. Local commentators say the sentences handed out were surprisingly lenient. The lawyers for the pair say they were not allowed to attend the sentencing because of the SARS outbreak. They said they will appeal the sentences. The Israeli army has announced journalists or others wishing to enter the Gaza Strip must sign an agreement absolving the Israeli govt of any responsibility if they are injured or killed. They must also declare they have no connection with nominated terrorist organisations. }} ---------------------------------------- Sat, 10 May 2003. Markets Dozens killed in freak airplane accident 21 killed in storms 3 children killed by shell Another tornado touches down Bomb attack injured 6 Rebels bomb water and electricity Another school shooting: US Columbine lock-down 3 US soldiers killed in crash Tough talking at the UN UN under siege in DRC Indon threatens action Israel arrests Aussie activist Officials seek access to arrested woman Taiwan cracks down on SARS SARS outbreak prob "low": Aussie CMO Q fever recorded in Tassie 2nd 9/11 suspect charged in Germany Jihad Jack to be deported People smuggler set for Aussie trial Howard back "Many questions" over LLW dump Aussie tax reform Sat bank trading 3 more Vic shires drought-decl NY. MARKETS! The Dow closed up 113 pts (1.3%) at 8,605. The FTSE ended 41 pts (1%) higher at 3,969 and the German Dax rocketed up 71 pts (2.4%) to 2,957. Gold is trading around $US348/oz. Kinshasa. DOZENS KILLED IN FREAK AIRPLANE ACCIDENT! Dozens of passengers have been blown out a cargo plane over the Congo when its ramp opened during flight. Soldiers, their wives and children were hurled from the aircraft, while others survived by clinging to the inside of the plane. The flight crew managed to fly the plane back to the Congo's capital, Kinshasa. 2 officials at the Internat'l Airport say 129 people are feared dead, while another officials says casualties are about 1/2 of that. Dhaka. 21 KILLED IN STORMS! Police and media reports say at least 21 people have been killed and 300 injured as Bangladesh was hit by severe tropical storms which also disrupted power supplies. Local media says 2 days of storms have killed 8 people in the W Pabna district and 13 in several other districts in lightning strikes or when trees or homes collapsed and small boats capsized. Power supplies, already subject to daily rationing, have worsened at the winds brought down electricity poles. Muzaffarabad. 3 CHILDREN KILLED BY SHELL! 3 children have reportedly been killed in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir by an Indian artillery shell which hit their home. Police say the children were in a house in the border village of Lanjot when it was hit. They were 5, 7 and 10 yo. Their parents escaped unhurt. Pakistani and Indian forces regularly exchange artillery fire across the ceasefire line that divides the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Moore. ANOTHER TORNADO TOUCHES DOWN! A tornado has touched down nr Oklahoma City, a day after another twister tore through a separate area nr the city, destroying 300 homes and injuring more than 130 people. The tornado last night hit NE of downtown OC, as tornado sirens rang throughout the area and 1000s headed for shelters. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The state's Emergency Medical Services Auth'y says the storm injured 133 people, about a dozen of them seriously. Karachi. BOMB ATTACK INJURED 6! A bomb has ripped through a passenger bus in Pakistan's S Sindh prov, injuring 6 people. No-one has taken responsibility for the explosion in Hyderabad, around 100 km N of the pt city of Karachi. Police say the bus had arrived from Nowsherra, 1,000 km NW of Hyderabad, on its way to Karachi when the explosion occurred. Investigators and bomb disposal experts have gone to the scene. Bogota. REBELS BOMB WATER AND ELECTRICITY! Suspected Colombian rebels have bombed a water reservoir and utility towers, killing 3 guards, knocking out power to a city, and leaving large parts of another without water. Police say the overnight attack occurred during a stepped-up campaign by the leftist insurgents to attack the nation's infrastructure. The city of Buenaventura is without power following the bombing of utility towers in Valle de Cauca state. The suspected rebels also bombed the water reservoir serving Cali, Colombia's 3rd-largest city, killing 3 guards. Cleveland. ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING: US! A gunman who opened fire on a classroom with a semi-auto assault weapon, killing 1 and wounding a 2nd person, has been taken into custody. Police say the man was captured inside a building at the Case Western Reserve Uni in Cleveland, about 7 hrs after the shooting incident. Witnesses say the man, dressed in camouflage clothing and wearing a combat helmet, used a rifle or machine gun. He charged into a building and began shooting at random. Denver. COLUMBINE LOCK-DOWN! Columbine HS, the site of the worst school shooting in US history, is under a strict security lock down after threats were found scrawled on walls. Officials say the graffiti-like threats were found on bathroom walls in the school and on a pavement. In 1999 2 teens gunned down 12 classmates and a teacher before committing suicide -- focusing world-wide attention on school shootings in the USA. Washington. 3 US SOLDIERS KILLED IN CRASH! 3 US soldiers have been killed in N Iraq when their chopper went down into the Tigris R. Pentagon officials say the Black Hawk crashed nr Samarra, between Baghdad and Tikrit. The only other soldier on the chopper was not injured in the crash. Officials say prelim reports indicate the crash was an accident and not the result of enemy action. NY. TOUGH TALKING AT THE UN! The UNSC has met for talks on a US draft resolution that would lift sanctions against Iraq and give the US unprecedented control over the country's oil industry for 1 y. The draft also proposes cutting the proportion of oil revenue Iraq would set aside for Kuwait over GWI. Anti-war Council members incl France and Russia are expected to challenge some of the draft's proposals. Russia insists the UN must declare Iraq free of WMD before sanctions can be lifted. NY. UN UNDER SIEGE IN DRC! The UN says a compound of peacekeepers in the DRC is under siege. The UN says the compound in the town of Binia has been attacked by 100s of people. It says machine guns and light arms have been discharged, and at least one explosion, from either a grenade or a rocket, has been heard. The UN says it has no information on casualties. Jakarta. INDON THREATENS ACTION! Indonesia says the president will order the military to crush separatists in Aceh if a faltering ceasefire falls through. As govt troops head for the prov a snr officials says a presid'l decree has already been prepared. Pres Megawati Sukarnoputri is believed to be frustrated over recent clashes between the Free Aceh Movement rebels and Indon soldiers. Meanwhile, police are reported to have arrested 4 rebel negotiators at the airport in Banda Aceh, the prov capital. Jerusalem. ISRAEL ARRESTS AUSSIE ACTIVIST! The Israeli army has raided a pro-Palestinian organisation in the W Bank and arrested an Australian woman. The International Solidarity Movement says about 20 army jeeps surrounded its offices in Beit Sahour village. arresting the un-named woman along with an American and a Palestinian. Israeli troops have also demolished 8 homes in the Gaza Strip nr the site of an earlier car bomb explosion. Meanwhile, Palestinians have fired 6 home-made rockets from Gaza into Israel, slightly injuring a 10 yo girl. Canberra. OFFICIALS SEEK ACCESS TO ARRESTED WOMAN! Aussie officials have sought "urgent access" to a woman arrested at a West Bank town for trespassing on a military post. The woman, believed to be an Aussie human rights monitor, and a pro-Palestinian activist from Chicago were arrested yesterday and are to be deported from Israel. A DFAT rep says the Aussie embassy in Tel Aviv is aware of yesterday's detention of a woman believed to be an Australian citizen for being in a military area without a permit. Beijing. TAIWAN CRACKS DOWN ON SARS! Taiwanese authorities have taken new action against the island's growing SARS outbreak, shutting down a major dept store and sealing off a housing complex. 4 new fatalities in Taiwan have boosted the world-wide SARS death toll to 519. More than 7,200 people have now been infected in more than 25 countries. The pace of SARS seems to have quickened in recent days in Taiwan where 18 people have died and 172 are infected, incl 23 new cases reported today. Melbourne. SARS OUTBREAK PROB "LOW": AUSSIE CMO! The Common'th CMO says the risk of a SARS epidemic in AUS is very low. Speaking at the 13th Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine in MEL today, Prof Richard Smallwood told more than 40 internat'l medical experts that AUS is fully prepared to cope with a possible outbreak. Prof Smallwood says the risk of an epidemic breaking out in AUS is low. Hobart. Q FEVER RECORDED IN TASSIE! Tas has recorded its first case of Q fever with the state govt advising that all rural workers should be vaccinated against the illness. Health Min David Llewellyn says the Public and Environmental Health Service was notified of the case last wk. He says the rural worker involved has already been released from hospital. Q fever can be contracted from infected cattle, sheep and goats, with symptoms in humans incl sudden fever, sweats, headache, fatigue, and aching muscles and joints. Berlin. 2ND 9/11 SUSPECT CHARGED IN GERMANY! Prosecutors have charged a 30 yo Moroccan man who was a friend of Sep 11 suicide pilot Mohamed Atta as an accessory to murder in the plot. He is also charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation and the 2nd suspected helper of the Hamburg al-Qaeda cell to be charged in Germany. Abdelghani Mzoudi, who faces up to 15 y in prison if convicted, was arrested in Oct. He denies any involvement, saying that even though he knew Atta and others in the cell, he knew nothing of their plans. Islamabad. JIHAD JACK TO BE DEPORTED! Pakistan is preparing to sned home an Aussie arrested in Jan for suspected links to terrorism. Jack Thomas has converted to Islam and calls himself Jihad. The 29 yo cab driver was arrested in Jan in Karachi as he tried to board a plane to HK. Pakistani officials say he will be deported, as no charges can be brought against him in Pakistan. Thomas was suspected by Pakistan of heaving trained at one of OBL's al-Qaeda terror camps in S Afghanistan. Adelaide. PEOPLE SMUGGLER SET FOR AUSSIE TRIAL! Alleged people smuggler Hasan Ayoub is likely to face charges in AUS, after a ruling in a Thai court. The Court of Appeal has refused Ayoub's appeal against his extradition to AUS. The AUS govt had requested Ayoub's extradition so the Pakistani national could face 13 charges in AUS for his alleged people smuggling activities. The charges relate to Ayoub's alleged involvement in organising 2 boatloads of illegal immigrants to AUS in Mar and Apr 2001. Sydney. HOWARD BACK! PM John Howard has arrived home after a trip to the US, Brit, and Qatar. He's refused to talk to reporters as pressure mounts for action over the GG Peter Hollingworth. Canberra. "MANY QUESTIONS" OVER LLW DUMP! The Fed Opp'n says the govt has many questions to answer over the proposed LLW dump on a SA sheep station. The Arcoona Station was yesterday announced as the govt's preferred location of the nuclear waste facility. Opp'n env rep Kelvin Thomas says the govt needs to explain why it chose the sheep stn as the preferred site. Also he says the govt needs to say whether the nuclear waste dump will be patrolled. Canberra. AUSSIE TAX REFORM! Business groups and accountants have welcomed hints a long-awaited overhaul of internat'l tax laws will be incl in next wk's Budget. Business have long complained outdated tax laws discourage Aussie firms from investing offshore and overseas firms from investing in AUS, and are too complex and difficult to understand. Treat Peter Costello ordered a review last y and it's been reported changes will be announced next wk. Sydney. SAT BANK TRADING! Westpac branches t'out NSW will open their doors for Saturday trading today. After changes to the Shops and Industries Act, Westpac last m became the first bank in NSW to be licensed for Saturday trading. 30 of its branches in SYD suburbs and regional centres such as Dubbo and Orange will be open from 9 am to noon. The Finance Sector Union has welcomed the introduction of bank trading on Sat as the first step in meeting the public's demand for more personal service. Melbourne. 3 MORE VIC SHIRE DROUGHT-DECL! 3 more Vic shires have been declared eligible for drought assistance. Farmers in E Gippsland, Wellington and Golden Plains will now be able to apply for immediate assistance of up to $20,000. Ag Min Bob Cameron says the 3 municipalities will also be included in Vic's application for Fed Exceptional Circumstances drought aid. He's welcomed the extension of fed drought aid to the C and NE regions of the state, but says all Vic farmers should be eligible. {{ Continuous news 6 pm London. The Times says a snr place officials says the Queen would not oppose the resignation of the GG. The US says it's prepared to make a FTA with the Middle E within a decade, in the drive for peace in the region. Treaties already exist with Israel and Jordan. Speaking to students at a college, Pres Bush said Arab nations would have to fight terrorism in all its forms to get the deal. Nigeria has reported a suspected SARS death. If confirmed, it may be one of Africa's first cases. Italy has intro'd compulsory screening at its airports -- breaking with the rest of the EU. In Taiwan, the largest daily death toll was announced today, signalling the outbreak there bay not be under control. In China, the Prem has called on a "people's war against SARS". Today the workers' heros are doctors and nurses, according to State TV. The US markets regained some ground today, with the Dow ending up 113 pts (1.3%) to 8,604. The world-wide death toll from SARS has reached 515. About 7,000 people are infected with the virus. An emergency meeting in MEL has called on the AUS govt to set up a special response unit to deal with the outbreak. Police were shocked at the number of drivers caught over the limit in a blitz on the Monash Freeway last night. For 4 hrs the road resembled a parking lot as police tested virtually every driver in the city-bound lanes. Of the 1,400 drivers tested 33 were caught exceeding the legal alcohol limit of 0.05. One of those caught was logged approaching the checkpoint at more than 170 kph in an unregistered car. The latest Aussie research shows doggie doo-doo doesn't disturb native animals. Small mammal are not disturbed by the leavings, and they don't contain chemicals which the natives find toxic. There is still work to do to check out possible parasites that may remain in the droppings. The research team says banning dogs from national parks is unjustified. }} ---------------------------------------- Sun, 11 May 2003. Death toll climbs Dozens dead, homes destroyed by twisters 13 dead in bomb attacks Abu Sayyaf claims deadly bomb blast 11 killed in Kashmir violence Priests among massacred in DRC: UN worker US Congress Committee approves nuclear weapons Bill Arabs give mixed reviews to US FTA offer Powell on peace mission Powell on Middle East peace mission US, Iran hold direct talks in Geneva: US official Change of guard in Iraq Shi'ite leader returns from exile Shiite leader returns as UN tackles Iraq sanctions Iranian opposition group in Iraq disarms Rebels blow more electric towers Indon/Aceh in mediation Indonesia names Aceh rebel leaders as bomb suspects Mass graves found in Chechnya, contain 110 bodies: official Curfew lifts in Ivory Coast Passport ring smashed: Pak Battle for SARS not over SARS cases worsen in Asia, ease in Canada US experts tackle SARS Egypt to recover ancient treasures from US Police shoot woman pointing gun at son's head Scientists trawl Tasman Sea in search of new species Missing tourists up for random Travel warnings Wheat virus found at 7th site Bali victims mixed about death penalty GG stands aside GG happy to stand aside Costello to cut back growth forecasts AUS's wealth imbalance worsening: Vinnies Gunman opens fire on SYD house Tassie memorial for first VC's Port Arthur to unveil new tourist attraction Qld to crack down on Schoolies Week Kinshasa. DEATH TOLL CLIMBS! The death toll from a freak airplane accident has topped 200. A source at Kinshasa airport says the toll will exceed the initial estimate of 160. Authorities can't given an official explanation for the accident, nor is any official toll available. Airport sources say ground mechanics had earlier detected a faulty in the loading ramp of the Il-76. Dozens dead, homes destroyed by twisters Oklahoma City (Reuters). The barrage of twisters that ripped across the US's midsection marked the most active wk of tornadoes on record, meteorologists said Sat as they sized up a wave of storms that left 44 people dead from Kansas to Georgia. Hitting like a US bombing raid, the deadly tornadoes began early in the wk in Missouri, Kansas and Tennessee, followed by 2 rounds of twisters in the Oklahoma City area Thu and Fri. Storms combined with straight-line wind, lightning and floods as they reduced 100s of homes and businesses to splinters and piles of loose bricks. Storms pelted several states on Sat, although they weren't as severe as some of the earlier turbulent weather. A system in Missouri spawned tornadoes that damaged out-buildings, overturned cars and downed power lines. The worst damage appeared to be in the town of Canton, about 150 miles NW of St Louis, where officials said early reports indicated 20 to 30 houses and 10 mobile homes were damaged. No deaths were reported. 4 people were taken to Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Ill, and were being evaluated in the emergency room, a hospital administrator said. At least one tornado touched down in Indiana. Torrential down-pours flooded streets and fields and forced the postponement Sat's qualification for the Indianapolis 500. In Kentucky, 10 people were injured after a storm swept through the NE part of the state. The Nat'l Weather Service confirmed a tornado in the area. Tornadoes were also sported Sat in 6 central Illinois counties, damaging homes and pelting trees, officials said. No major injuries were reported. More than 100 people were injured in the Oklahoma City area by 2 tornadoes that struck Thu and Fri night. But only a few were hospitalised Sat, and only one remained in critical condition. Pres Bush issued a disaster declaration Sat for Oklahoma, clearing the way for fed aid. Earlier in the week, he did the same for tornado-battered parts of Tennessee, Kansas and Missouri. More than 300 homes and 35 businesses were destroyed in Oklahoma alone and the state insurance commissioner's office gave a preliminary damage estimate of $100 mn. Utility crews strung new power lines in an effort to restore electrical service to more than 10,000 homes and businesses. About 8,300 homes were without power Sat evening. While tornadoes are common in May, the number of them reported in the 1st part of this m has been extraordinary, said Dan McCarthy, warning coordination meteorologist at the Storm Prediction Center. By Sat, about 300 tornadoes had been reported since the start of May, about 100 more than the most recent comparable rash, in 1999. Until now, that 1999 barrage had been the record for any 10-day period since record-keeping started in the 1950s, said Dan McCarthy, warning coordination meteorologist at the Storm Prediction Center. Because of the tornadoes and other emergencies this year, the American Red Cross said Fri its disaster relief fund, which typically has a $50 mn cushion, had dwindled to just $5 million. Executive vice president Terry J Sicilia estimated that the costs of the recent tornadoes could deplete the fund entirely if more donations don't come in soon. Cotabato. 13 DEAD IN BOMB ATTACKS! 13 are dead and 26 others are wounded after 2 bombs exploded simultaneously in the S Philippines city of Koronadal. The bombs consisted of 81 mm mortar shells with a timing device and were detonated outside a public market, creating carnage. Hospital officials say the death toll could climb as many of the wounded are in critical condition. Abu Sayyaf claims deadly bomb blast Manila. Muslim rebels linked to Al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for a bomb explosion in the S Philippines in which at least 13 people were killed and dozens wounded, officials said. The blast occurred just outside the main market in the town of Koronadal on the S island of Mindanao. Officials said 13 people, including the suspected bomber, were killed and about 40 injured. The Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim rebel group better known for kidnap-for-ransom in the south of the Roman Catholic nation, claimed responsibility. Fernando Miguel, the mayor of Koronadal, said in an interview with local radio that a person claiming to be Abu Solayman, an Abu Sayyaf leader, had called him and said his group had organised the attack. The Abu Sayyaf has been tagged by Washington as a terrorist organisation with links to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda network. The suspected bomber is likely to have left the explosive device just beside a motorcycle cab outside the market, investigators said. About 15 motorcycle cabs lined up in 2 rows outside the main market building were destroyed by the blast. Earlier in the wk, the Govt halted peace talks with the country's biggest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MILF denied responsibility for the blast. The Philippines blamed the MILF for an assault last weekend on a S town that left 34 people dead and many wounded. The Govt and the MILF have held talks for y to end 3 decades of violence on the S island of Mindanao. It has refused to hold talks with the Abu Sayyaf and vowed to crush the group. Mindanao island, home to about 80% of the 10 mn Philippine Muslims, is one of the poorest regions in the nation of 82 mn people. 11 killed in Kashmir violence New Delhi. Suspected Muslim rebels have killed 8 people, including 3 activists of Indian Kashmir's ruling party, while Indian troops shot dead three militants, police said. Another activist of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) was seriously injured in the overnight attacks, which coincided with a visit by US envoy Richard Armitage in New Delhi to build on peace moves between India and Pakistan. Suspected rebels opened fire on party activists Ghulam Mohammed Mehrab and Bashir Ahmed Ganai in the Bijbehara township of S Anantnag district late Fri. Mr Mehrab, a distant relative of Kashmir's Chief Min Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, died on the spot, while Mr Ganai was injured and shifted to the main hospital in the summer capital Srinagar. Both men hailed from Bijbehara's Ganai Mohalla area, the site of Mr Sayeed's ancestral residence. Police said the gunmen later went to a neighbouring locality and shot dead two more PDP officials. Security forces have launched a search for the still-unidentified assailants. Workers of the PDP, which formed a govt in Nov, have been increasingly targeted since the party organised a rally in Srinagar to welcome Indian PM Atal Behari Vajpayee on Apr 18. Since Mr Vajpayee's speech, more than half a dozen PDP activists have been killed and senior minister Muzaffar Beigh has escaped 2 attempts on his life. Many others have announced their resignations from the party through newspapers. Separately, suspected rebels shot dead 4 Muslims and a Hindu who "were suspected of working for security forces," the police rep said. The rep said police were verifying which of the dozen rebel groups active in Kashmir was involved. None has claimed responsibility for the 7 killings. 3 militants, 2 of them "senior commanders" of the pro-Pakistan al-Badr militant group, were killed in 2 separate gun battles in the southern Rajouri district, police said. Indian and Pakistani troops also traded fire in Kashmir Fri, killing 4 people, despite the visit by Mr Armitage, the US Deputy Secretary of State. More than 38,000 people have died in Indian Kashmir since the eruption of armed rebellion in 1989. Separatists and Pakistan put the death toll twice as high. Priests among massacred in DRC: UN worker DRC (AFP). Two priests were among around 14 people that have been massacred amid ethnic violence in the NE DRC town of Bunia, according to a UN worker. He said he saw the bodies of 2 priests, Fathers Aime and Francis Mateseso, the 1st with his throat cut in his bedroom, the other shot in the garden and "about a dozen other bodies in the parish hall". He was unable to say if other massacres had taken place in Bunia, which for most of the wk has been the scene of clashes between Lendu fighters and those of their long-time foes from the minority Hema ethnic group. The MONUC employee said he had heard that some people had been wounded near the hospital and that the facility's staff were among 1000s of people seeking sanctuary in MONUC's compound. US Congress Committee approves nuclear weapons Bill Washington. A US Congressional Committee has approved a Bill that would end a decade-old ban on research into the development of low yield nuclear weapons. The Defence Authorisation Bill will go before the full Senate and House later this month. Included in the Bill is funding to upgrade the Nevada test site if required and research funds for a bunker-busting bomb called the "robust nuclear earth penetrator". The US has not built any new nuclear weapons since the end of the Cold War and former president Bill Clinton suspended nuclear testing. The Bush Admin has reviewed the policy. Some officials argue testing might be needed to guarantee the reliability of the current US nuclear arsenal. Opponents fear testing could begin again if Pres Bush Jr is re-elected for a 2nd term. Cairo. ARABS GIVE MIXED REVIEWS TO US FTA OFFER! Arab states have given mixed reviews of US Pres Bush Jr's offer of a FTA for the Middle E, with some analysts dismissing it as a PR exercise. The trade plan has been announced as US Sec of State Powell visits Israel on a peace mission. Its success hinges on whether the Whitehouse can broker a fair settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and establish a democratic regime in post-Saddam Iraq. Jerusalem. POWELL ON PEACE MISSION! US Sec of State Colin Powell has arrived in Israel on a peace mission, telling Israelis and Palestinians it's time to get on with it. Powell says [despite PM Sharon raising 15 objections to it] there are new signs of hope for a settlement based on the US-inspired plan known as the "Road Map to Peace". He will meet Sharon and the Palestinians' new PM, Abu Mazen, today and tomorrow. Powell on Middle East peace mission Tel Aviv. US Sec of State Colin Powell has called on Israel and the Palestinians to begin implementing the internat'ly-backed roadmap for peace. Mr Powell, speaking from Jerusalem, said new Palestinian PM Abu Mazen must crack down on militant groups like Hamas to comply with the roadmap which calls for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel by 2005. Turning to the Israelis, Mr Powell reiterated US Pres George W Bush's demand for a freeze on Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Mr Powell also said the US was ready to place monitors on the ground to verify the roadmap's implementation and also to help rebuild the Palestinian security forces, devastated by Israel's re-taking of self-rule Palestinian areas last year. Mr Powell declined to discuss concrete and immediate US demands on the Israelis and Palestinians until after separate meetings Sun with Abu Mazen and Israeli PM Ariel Sharon. The 3-phase roadmap, unveiled on Apr 30, aims at ending the 31-month intifada and demands reciprocal steps by the Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a lasting peace. For his part, Mr Shalom assured the Palestinians Israel was a partner for peace if Abu Mazen reins in Hamas and other militant factions. US, Iran hold direct talks in Geneva: US official Washington. US and Iranian officials have met face-to-face in Geneva "very recently" to talk about Iran's neighbours Iraq and Afghanistan, where the US has a military presence, a US official said on Sat local time. The meeting took place with the help of the UN but only the US and Iranian officials were present, he said. Iran and US have met previously in the context of multilateral talks with Afghanistan's neighbours and Russia. The official, who asked not to be named, said the aim of the contacts was to discuss specific issues, not to establish diplomatic relations or initiate the open-agenda dialogue which former US Pres Bill Clinton sought with Iran. The US cut diplomatic ties with Iran after radical students seized its embassy in Tehran in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution which toppled the US-backed Shah. US Sec of State Colin Powell, talking to reporters on his plane between Washington and Tel Aviv on Sat local time, said the issue of diplomatic relations is not on the table right now but that the US has ways of communicating with Tehran and that it has used them on a regular basis very recently. Meanwhile, Iran vowed on Fri local time to work closely with the United Nations atomic watchdog to show its nuclear program was solely for peaceful purposes. A For Min'y official said Iran did "not have anything to hide". A group of conservatives close to the Bush Admin has started to advocate "regime change" in Iran, with the son of the late Shah as their candidate as ruler. Washington. CHANGE OF GUARD IN IRAQ! Top American officials in charge of running post-war Iraq are reportedly being relieved of duty in a shake-up of the US operations there. Retired US Lt Gen Jay Garner, who has overseen the rebuilding of Iraq for the Bush Admin for the past 3 wks, will be leaving Iraq with some of his top aides, the Washington Post says. The departures could possibly come within a wk or 2, it says. The move comes just a few days after US Pres Bush Jr named former State Dept counterterrorism chief L Paul Bremmer [another Reagan-era apparachicki] as the top civil admin in Iraq. Basra. SHI'ITE LEADER RETURNS FROM EXILE! Iraq's top Shi'ite leader has returned home in triumph after 23 y in exile. Ayatollah Mohammed Baqer al-Hakim -- the 66 yo head of the Supreme Assembly of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq -- has crossed the border from Iran and entered the main S city of Basra. In an address to a crowd, Hakim says he wants a democratic govt representing the Iraqi nation and all people ["even the Kurds", he said]. Hakim also says the Iraqi people should govern themselves. He says he doesn't want Iraq manipulated by foreigners. Shiite leader returns as UN tackles Iraq sanctions Basra. One of Iraq's top Shiite clerics has ended y of exile and called for an Iraq free of foreign influence, just hrs after Washington asked the UN to grant it sweeping post-war powers there. Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, leader of Iraq's biggest Shiite Muslim group, crossed from Iran nr the S city of Basra to a jubilant welcome from crowds of supporters. Shortly afterwards, some 100,000 people packed a stadium in Basra to listen to him call for an independent govt chosen wholly by Iraqis to replace ousted Pres Saddam Hussein, who was toppled by US-led forces in a war launched on March 20. Mr Hakim's close ties to Iran and the armed militia known as the Badr Forces which he commands have aroused some alarm in Washington, but he has sought to play down those fears. His powerful Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) belongs to a US-backed Iraqi council which meets regularly to map out a future govt post-Saddam. Mr Hakim's triumphant return signals a jostling for position by the influential cleric, who was jailed and tortured in the 1970s for opposing Saddam, who has headed SCIRI since 1980 in exile in Iran. Iranian opposition group in Iraq disarms Camp Ashraf, Iraq (AP). Surrounded by American tanks, an Iranian opposition group under orders to surrender agreed Sat to turn over its weapons and submit to the demands of US forces, Army officials said. The US used the occasion to warn other forces not to assert power. Reps of the Mujahedeen Khalq operating nr Baqubah, 45 miles NE of the capital, struck the agreement after 2 days of negotiations with US forces. Their capitulation was reported by the US Army's V Corps headquarters in Baghdad. The Mujahedeen Khalq's well-armed force, which for y fought Iran's Islamic rulers from Iraq with the backing of Saddam Hussein's regime, posed a potential challenge to the US-led coalition's authority as Iraq's military occupier. American officials deemed it a terrorist organisation in the 1990s. Military officials at V Corps, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the group had agreed to "voluntarily hand over all their weapons" including sidearms. They will be permitted to retain their uniforms. Calls to the group's Paris headquarters Sat were not answered. The Mujahedeen Khalq's weaponry will be consolidated into one area, its members in another. They will be "protected by American forces," one military official said. A rival armed group backed by the Iranian regime is active in the area, and there have been fears the two would clash. Any travel by members of the Mujahedeen Khalq, including into Baqubah to purchase food, will be "under escort," the US said. The V Corps statement did not use the word surrender, and the military officials said they would not describe the capitulation in those terms. The officials said members of the organisation would not be classified as prisoners of war but under a status "yet to be determined." Sat's capitulation, which appeared nonetheless to be a surrender in everything but terminology, underscores the US desire to be the unquestioned and unchallenged armed force in Iraq a m after the fall of Saddam's regime. Its announcement of the Mujahedeen Khalq developments was accompanied by a warning to any groups that might assert authority in postwar Iraq. On Sat afternoon, Apache helicopter gunships flew low over the sandstone buildings of Camp Ashraf, the group's HQ, as negotiations wrapped up. Abrams tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles lined the highway nr the camp. 2 tanks pointed their guns toward the sand-bagged guard post at the entrance. 2 US Air Force spotters -- personnel who call in air strikes -- were in the back of a Bradley in front of the gate. The Mujahedeen Khalq, or People's Warriors, is the military wing of the Paris-based Nat'l Council of Resistance of Iran, an umbrella body said to unite Iran's diverse opposition groups. Before Saddam's ouster, the group helped train his elite Republican Guard units, according to the US military. It has several camps near Baqubah, not far from the Iranian border. The confrontation between the group and the US military that escalated Fri came 3 weeks after a truce between the Iranians and the Army, which American officials had called a "prelude" to surrender. Bogota. REBELS BLOW MORE ELECTRIC TOWERS! Colombian rebels have dynamited 3 electric towers in the latest series of attacks against the country's infrastructure. Police say fighters from the Rev Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have bombed 2 pylons and a 3rd in neighbouring Valle del Cauca state. The attacks have caused temp outages t'out the region. Media reports say in the past 3 days, suspected rebels have downed 18 electrical towers t'out the country. Banda Aceh. INDON/ACEH IN MEDIATION! Internat'l mediators have made last-minute efforts to bring Indon and separatist Aceh rebels together to avert a govt military offensive. However diplomats fear the chance for peace is lost as a govt deadline to resolve the dispute peacefully is set to expire tomorrow. A crumbling ceasefire was aimed at ending 26 y of conflict between Indon and rebels of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Indonesia names Aceh rebel leaders as bomb suspects Jakarta. 4 snr Aceh rebel representatives held by Indonesia are officially suspects in bomb attacks, police said. The announcement could further threaten a shaky peace process. The 4 representatives of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), part of a joint committee overseeing a peace pact in the troubled province, were seized at the Banda Aceh airport on Fri as they tried to leave the provincial capital, 1,700 km NW of Jakarta. The violations were in relation to their alleged involvement in bombings in Jakarta and Medan, an official said. Jakarta was hit by 2 bomb attacks in late Apr, one of which wounded 10 people at the capital's main airport. Police have said they were similar to an earlier attack in Medan, the largest city on Sumatra island, and blamed it on GAM. A key GAM figure in exile in Stockholm, Zaini Abdullah, said the separatist group had nothing to do with the bombings. GAM military rep Sofyan Daud earlier told Reuters the detention of the 4 representatives of the Joint Security Committee was "conducted without reason" and showed the Indonesian govt had "no good faith" in resuming dialogue. The committee, which groups representatives from GAM, the Govt and foreign peace brokers, is part of the structure set up to enforce the peace pact. The deal, aimed at stopping the decades-long conflict over the resource-rich province on the N tip of Sumatra that has killed at least 10,000 people, calls on GAM to lay down arms and the military to withdraw to defensive positions. After initial success, however, the pact has become increasingly troubled, and on Sat 600 marines were leaving Jakarta to join 1000s already sent to reinforce govt troops in Aceh as they prepare for a possible military offensive. The Govt has set a May 12 deadline for the separatists to agree on peace talks and other demands or face the offensive. GAM has so far held firm in refusing, but group rep Abdullah said mediation talks in Stockholm with the Geneva-based Henry Dunant Centre on Sat showed there was some hope for a peaceful solution. He said GAM was due to issue a statement on its stance which the Henry Dunant Centre would forward to Jakarta, but it was still too early to unveil details of the outcome of the Stockholm talks. Mr Abdullah said he hoped for a reply from Jakarta before Mon's deadline. However, asked what he thought the chances were of a peaceful end to the crisis, Mr Abdullah said: "I think it is 50-50. But I think it is much more positive after this meeting." Mass graves found in Chechnya, contain 110 bodies: official Moscow. Mass graves containing the bodies of some 110 Russian fed servicemen have been discovered in various locations in the S republic of Chechnya, the Interfax news agency reported Sat quoting a top legal official. "According to defence ministry investigators, the graves have been found in the Grozny, Gudermes, Urus-Martan, Shali, Shatoi and Naursky districts," deputy state prosecutor Mikhail Fridinsky said without elaborating. Further info about the bodies will be provided after they have been exhumed and identified, Fridinsky said. Russian troops sent into Chechnya in Oct 1999 to put down a separatist insurgency have often been accused of carrying out arbitrary arrests and executions and burying their victims in mass graves, subsequently blaming the killings on the rebels in the separatist republic. Quoting the Chechen interior ministry, Fridinsky said a total of 176 bodies, of which 65 have been identified, have been discovered in Chechnya since 2000. Abidjan. CURFEW LIFTS IN IVORY COAST! Ivory Coast's strict night-time curfew has been lifted after nearly 8 m, a move seen as another step toward peace in the W Af country. The decision announced by state radio comes 1 wk after Ivory Coast's civil war enemies agreed a ceasefire meant to end the fighting. The former French colony was rocked by a failed coup last y which then mushroomed into a full-blown civil war, dividing the country and leaving 1000s dead. Peshawar. PASSPORT RING SMASHED: PAK! Authorities in Pak have smashed a passport-selling ring that was supplying stolen Pakistani passports to al-Qaeda suspects trying to fell the country. Authorities say they made arrests in the border city of Peshawar after raids in an up-market resid'l district in which police seized 100 blank Pak passports. An official did not say how many al-Qaeda suspects may have been ready to purchase the passports or how snr they were in the terrorist network. HK. BATTLE FOR SARS NOT OVER! China's leadership has warned the battle against SARS is far from over -- as the WHO upgrades the alert level in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei. Taiwan has now reported 18 fatalities from SARS -- while HK's total is 212 dead. In China -- which the WHO considered the key battleground against the virus -- the death toll has hit 235. SARS cases worsen in Asia, ease in Canada Geneva. The SARS virus has taken more lives in Asia, with five deaths in Taiwan, five more on mainland China and 2 more in HK. Authorities there say there is now evidence emerging that one in 10 of those who survive SARS will suffer lasting lung damage. The WHO has criticised the Chinese Govt for not providing the type of info needed to help track the virus. But there is some good news from Canada, the only country outside Asia to have reported SARS-linked deaths. The number of active cases in the focal city of Toronto has been declining for more than a week, and the death toll has held steady at 23. US experts tackle SARS Washington. In the US, Dr David Ho, who helped pioneer treatment for AIDS, has turned his attention to SARS. He joins a batch of US Govt labs and dozens of private companies racing to develop drugs or vaccines to treat and prevent SARS, which has killed more than 500 people and infected 7,000 across the world. While it took y to pin down the AIDS virus, the coronavirus that causes SARS was ID-ed and its gene map sequenced and published in less than a m. Dr Ho, who helped discover the powerful protease inhibitors that proved the key to the HIV "cocktail", says his lab is working on a drug and a vaccine against SARS. Dr Ho and other experts believe it may be easy to find a vaccine that works against SARS than one for HIV. Approaches include a "killed" vaccine, which means deactivating the virus so it can do no harm, in the hope it will stimulate the immune system to recognise and attack the "live" virus. One of the polio vaccines is a killed vaccine. Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the Nat'l Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said a team headed by Dr Brian Murphy is doing that. He hopes to get an experimental "killed" virus vaccine ready to test in animals in a year. There is a risk this will not work, or even that an "killed" virus could recombine with other viruses and cause harm. So another team at NIAID, headed by Dr Gary Nabel, is working on a vaccine based on tiny bits of the virus. The idea behind genetic vaccines of this sort is to prime the immune system with the most important parts of the virus. Egypt to recover ancient treasures from US Cairo. Egypt expects to receive 6 Pharaonic artefacts from the US that had been smuggled out of the country more than 150 y ago. State antiquities chief Zahi Hawas said the pieces will arrive on an EgyptAir flight from NY. The artefacts include 4-coloured limestone plates with images of Phaoroh Seti I, who lived from 1314-1200 BC, that were discovered in 1817 and smuggled out of Egypt in 1860, Mr Hawas said. They eventually turned up at Emory University in Atlanta, but arrangements were made to return the pieces as part of an agreement signed between Washington and Cairo in July 2002 that called for the return to Egypt of a mummy, identified as Phaoroh Ramses I. Police shoot woman pointing gun at son's head TN. Police in the SE US state of Tennessee shot a prison escapee as she pointed a gun at her 3-yo son's head with a smile, according to a report here. Karen Lynn Lovell, 28, bolted from the DeKalb County jail shortly after midnight Thu with a police gun and cruiser, officials said. She immediately drove about 10 km to the home of her sister, a married mother of 3 who had Lovell's son in her home. There, she grabbed her son at gunpoint, shot the family dog, and fled again in the police car, the report said. At a police roadblock a km away, she ran her car into a sheriff's deputy and shot at him through the windshield. The shot missed, and the deputy was treated at hospital and released. Lovell, meanwhile, lost control of the car, got stuck in a ditch, and ran into nearby woods, carrying her son. After several hrs of search and pursuit, at around 11.00 am, Lovell walked out of the woods, still carrying her son. When she pointed the gun at her son's head a police officer fired once, striking her nr the eye. The officer ran forward, grabbed the sobbing toddler and carried him away, the report said. Lovell was taken to a nearby hospital where she was "still alive," Bowling said. Authorities did not give a clear account of why she had been incarcerated, but said she was due to be released soon, possibly next month. They said she had indicated in the past that if she ever got the opportunity, she would kill herself and her son. Scientists trawl Tasman Sea in search of new species Hobart. AUS and New Zealand scientists are on a research voyage in the Tasman Sea to uncover new marine species and habitats. Twenty-four scientists from more than 11 internat'l research organisations, including the Qld Museum, are on board the Norfanz ship that departed Wellington yesterday. The voyage will trawl samples of sea water and photograph and survey animals to gain more info on the little studied ocean region. Geneva. MISSING TOURISTS UP FOR RANDOM! It's been reported 31 missing European tourists are being held for ransom by a bandit chief who's demanding up to $A3 mn for their release. A Swiss magazine reports the hostages are being held in 3 groups in the Tamelrik mountains. The report says 15 Germans, 10 Austrians, 4 Swiss a Dutchman and a Swede are being held by Mokhtar Belmokhtar -- a bandit chief. Canberra. TRAVEL WARNINGS! Aussies have been warned against travel to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kenya and Uganda due to heightened terrorist threats. The DFAT said yesterday Aussies should defer all travel to Iraq and to Uganda's border regions and non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia and Kenya. The escalated security warnings also reflect heightened tensions in the Middle E. Brisbane. WHEAT VIRUS FOUND AT 7TH SITE! Toowoomba has joined a growing list of locations where a potentially devastating wheat virus has been detected. The Dept of Prim Ind has quarantined the Wellcamp Research Stn in Toowoomba just 1 wk after closing down the nearby Leslie Research Centre. The latest discovery of the wheat streak mosaic virus is the 7th in the past few wks. Denpassar. BALI VICTIMS MIXED ABOUT DEATH PENALTY! The families of the murdered Bali bomb victims are divided on whether the death penalty should be imposed on those responsible for killing 202 people last Oct. Adel Magistrate Brian Deegan whose son Josh was among 80 Aussies who died in the attacks, will arrive in Bali on Wed to attend the trial of key suspect Amrozi, which begins tomorrow. He says he doesn't support the death penalty and would even be prepared to make a submission to spare the bombers' lives. Canberra. GG STANDS ASIDE! After knowing about a court case for 5 m, the PM tonight announced the GG Peter Hollingworth would stand aside from the vice-regal position until the case was completed. He would then consider his long-term position, Mr Howard said. The PM indicated the main consideration was the reputation of the position of GG, not whether Hollingworth was guilty or innocent of the rape allegations. Mr Howard's change of heart came after knowledge of the court case became public last wk. It had previously been the subject of a suppression order taken out by GG Hollingworth. Canberra. GG HAPPY TO STAND ASIDE! GG Hollingworth says he's happy to stand aside from the position. He said his main concern was to maintain the dignity of the office of GG. Dr H met PM Howard at Admiralty House in SYD to discuss the issue early today. The Queen has been informed of the decision. Mr Howard says Tas Gov Sir Guy Green will administer the Commonwealth in Dr H's absence. Canberra. COSTELLO TO CUT BACK GROWTH FORECASTS! Treas Peter Costello says the govt's forecast that AUS GDP growth would be 4% next FY were "optimistic", given World conditions. Mr Costello indicated the growth forecast for 2003/4 would be scaled back in this wk's Budget -- although he told the Nine Network he's still confident of meeting the 3% growth forecast for 2002/3. In the mid-y review, the govt forecast growth of 4% in 2003/4, and a surplus of $4.9 bn. AUS's wealth imbalance worsening: Vinnies Sydney. A leading AUS charity group says the country's wealth imbalance is worsening. The Saint Vincent De Paul Society says it fears if poverty is not addressed soon, AUS may follow countries like Brazil and Argentina from prosperity to economic ruin. The society's SYD Archdiocese president, John Lumley, says the wealth imbalance will not improve without a massive boost in govt spending. "Certainly, govt spending in these main areas of health and education and development and infrastructure is insufficient," he said. "In our own estimate, the [Fed] Govt would need to invest at least an extra $12 [billion] to $15 bn a y in current dollar value." Sydney. GUNMAN OPENS FIRE ON SYD HOUSE! A gunman has opened fire at a home in the 2nd drive-by shooting in 2 days at Bonnyrigg, in SYD's SW. Police say the gunman fired 2 shots from a vehicle into a home and cars in Cartier St, about 4.15 am before circling the block and returning to fire 7 more times. 2 women sleeping in the house at the time were not injured. Police say 5 shots were fired into 2 vehicles parked outside the house. The attack follows a drive-by shooting at another Bonnyrigg home early yesterday morning. Hobart. TASSIE MEMORIAL FOR FIRST VC'S! A new war memorial has been unveiled in Hobart honouring Tassie's recipients of the VC. Among those recognised are the first 2 Aussie-born soldiers to receive the Commonwealth's highest honour for valour. Homegrown heros Trooper John Bisdee and Lt Guy Wylly received the VC for acts of bravery during a Boer War battle at Warm Bad in S Af on Sep 1, 1900. Several 100s gathered for today's ceremony. Port Arthur to unveil new tourist attraction Hobart. A new tourist attraction at Port Arthur in Tasmania is expected to attract about 6,000 people each year. Brit's 1st boys reform prison at Point Puer, which was open for 15 years from 1834, is about to be opened to tourists for the 1st time. Port Arthur Historic Site rep Peter Romey says it is part of a five-year State Govt program worth about $10 million. He says the story of Point Puer Prison is significant because it was the first time convicts were taught a trade in prison. "I think it's really up to us to tell the story about the place and why it is interesting," Mr Romey said. "There's not a huge amount to see on the ground although with the right guide, with an informed guide, I think there is a lot to learn." Brisbane. QLD TO CRACK DOWN ON SCHOOLIES WEEK! The Qld govt says it plans to crack down on school leavers who head for the Gold Coast to celebrate the end-of-y "Schoolies Week". Prem Peter Beattie says for the first time, the end of the school y will coincide in the 3 E states. Mr Beattie says parents should be talking to their children now about their end of y plans. He says parents should try to discourage teens from going to the GC this y, especially their daughters. ---------------------------------------- Mon, 12 May 2003. Markets Searching for victims Road map double standard 9 new SARS deaths No, not the naphtha Cyber crime a $trillion problem Lithuania votes for EU membership Sydney (noon). MARKETS! As the USD sinks slowly in the west, gold is up to $US350/oz. The price has varied between $380 during GWII and $325 before the war. The big story is the AUD. It's still on the rise against the USD, reaching 64.74 US c this morning. It's up about 15% since Jan. But it's really a USD story. The AUD has hardly moved against the euro. The USD will fall for quite some time to come. Analysts say it's time to think about the Aussie Battler getting back to 70 US c. The All Ords opened up about 0.7%. Kinshasa. SEARCHING FOR VICTIMS! Choppers have swept over 100s of km of Congo's vast jungles in an increasingly-vain search for scores of people presumed dead after they fell from an airplane whose cargo ramp burst open during flight. The DRC's health minister says at least 30 people are known to have safely returned with the Russian-build cargo aircraft. Mamba Shako says the plane's rear cargo-bay door un-latched on Thu, spilling people into the sky 10,000 m [various reports say various numbers] over the C Af nation. Jericho. ROAD MAP DOUBLE STANDARD! The Palestinians have expressed alarm over what they say are double standards in the implementation of the US "Road Map for Peace". However a confident Sec of State Colin Powell sys Israel has taken positive steps toward peace despite finishing his whirlwind visit with no concrete results from either side. Confirmation of Israel's commitment to the Road Map is also apparently delayed at least until PM Sharon's May 20 visit to Washington. HK. 9 NEW SARS DEATHS! China, HK and Singapore have recorded 9 new deaths from SARS and more than 70 new cases. The latest figures come as the Chinese Prem concedes the country's battle with the virus is far from over. The new fatalities take China's death toll to 240, and 69 new infections brings that total to 4,948. SARS has claimed more than 520 lives world-wide, mostly in Asia. New Delhi. NO, NOT THE NAPHTHA! A Bombay-bound oil tanker from Dubai has sunk off the Indian coast, but its 15-member crew incl the capt have been rescued. The Press Trust of India quotes unnamed police officials saying there is no danger of any environmental damage after yesterday's sinking. They say this is because the vessel was carrying 2,688 tonnes of naphtha, which will evaporate in due course. Brisbane. CYBER CRIME A $TRILLION PROBLEM! A conf has been told cyber-crime poses a serious threat to Aussie business and more must be done to understand it. Qld Innovation Min Paul Lucas bas told an IT security conf on the Gold Coast that cyber-crime is estimated to cost business $1.5 trillion pa. While the true extent of the crime is not clear, he says Australia's Computer Emergency Response Team was informed of almost 27,000 separate incidents in 2001Q1. Vilnius. LITHUANIA VOTES FOR EU MEMBERSHIP! Early results from a weekend referendum indicate Lithuania has voted yes to join the EU. The head of the election commission Zenonas Vaigauskas says the first results show most Lith'ns have said yes. He says results from the first 2 polling stations show a big victory for the "yes" case, with 88.95% in favour of EU membership, and 11% against. {{ Continuous news 1 am NBC. Tornados have continued wreaking damage across the Midwest. Some homeowners say their properties have been hit twice in as many days. One told the cameras he's been living in the area since '56, and these are the worst storms he's seen. But they all say they still won't move. Weather forecasters say the end may be in sight, however. 1.50 am BBC World News says the top 100 execs in the UK got an average salary hike of 20% last y despite generally dismal performance of Brit companies. "Tinker" is the only fat cat getting good press. Birthday gift or careful snub? Pres Chirac has sent a 50th birthday present to Brit PM Tony Blair. It may be a peace offering, given their very public differences over Iraq. But the English suspect it's another subtle French trick! Chirac sent 1/2 case of Chateau Mouton to Blair. Not a WHOLE case. And not only does the label feature 2 dead sheep, but it's valued at 1,200 pounds. That's well over the the limit for the PM's personal use, so Blair had to pay the English taxpayers for it. 2.45 am NBC "Meet the Press". A notice from the US Treas a few days ago said the US may go into debt default as the national debt threatens to exceed the $US6.4 trillion ceiling set by Congress. Some analysts predict the deficit will come in around $1/2 trillion this y. The Sec of the Treas, John W Snow, told Tim Russert that the touted tax cuts and the debt ceiling were "unrelated". The debt was due to past decisions, he said, incl previous tax cuts. Tim quoted Snow's words from 1995 where he said deficit reduction was a prime goal. National debt then was $1.64 trillion. Today the Sec says not all debts are equal. Today underemployment is the "real deficit", said Snow. 3.10 am The WashPost says the frustrated US WMD team is to leave Iraq within the next few days, having found no definitive evidence of Saddam Hussein's programs post-1991. 7 am Baghdad. The main telephone exchange is on fire this morning, allegedly due to looters. The telephone network in the Iraqi capital looks set to be unusable for a long time yet. In one street, ironically called Health St, there's a river of human waste. A lake of sewage stands outside a major water pumping station. The workers there haven't been paid in 3 m. 1000s of city residents have sewage flowing out of their toilets. 100s of 1000s are still without clean water. Much of this is a result of the failure of the city's electricity system. Baghdad is running on about 40% power at present. And what power there is, is not reliable. While taking control in Baghdad was relatively swift, getting it working again seems beyond US authorities here. There's still a problem with lawlessness. While the looting has largely ceased, there are still daily reports of violence. Revenge attacks continue. In one of Saddam's former palaces the mood isn't a happy one. It's the HQ of the US-appointed civil admin. But key officials have been recalled to the US for failing to fix problems quickly enough. Among those leaving are the "Governor", Jay Garner, and the de facto US Mayor of Baghdad, Barbara Bodine. A major Brit mole in the IRA has been blown by newspapers and web sites. Code-named "steak knife", the informant is now on the run. In his late 50s, he fed important info to the Brit govt for 30 y. He managed to protect his position by moving up into a snr position in the organisation -- responsible for searching out traitors. Questions are now being raised over the link between the govt and terrorists. While allegedly giving information that saved many lives, "Steak knife" was also given to green light for involvement in about 40 murders. 11 am 1/2 mn Romans have turned up at the Colosseum to hear Sir Paul McCartney [AKA "Rock Legend"] play some old Beatles tunes. }} ======================================== (*) Who is responcible for W.A.R.S? A small group of dedicated sandgrubbers, bannana-lickers and 5th columnists on the run from support payments and sundry legalese in their home countries. Mention us at any Uncle Harry's Suburban Bunker and get a 10% discount on cop-killers! All speling macroizated for correctitood by Mcrosotf Speelchek. *** Administrator Required: apply at Baghdad Town Hall. ***