From the World-Wide Resourses of the Western Australia
Reserch Senter(*)
OIL THE NEWS THAT FITS MY VIEWS #223
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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).
Our Home Page:
The Undeniable Evidence:
Even More Uneniable Evidence:
US Centcom News Releases:
Iraqi Body Count: [11,132 as at 05 Jul 2004].
UN Mailing List:
Some Of The News, Some Of The Time:
This Stuff Blogged:
Also Kindly Archived:
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Selecting latest news stories and other data for you...
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We didn't selectively include intelligence at all...
-- Part-time political commentator and FM Alex Downer, 22 Jul 2004.
The Flood report begs to differ. It also criticises the govt for
trying to use the ONA's imprimatur to back its political speeches.
The budget for some Aussie intel services has now been doubled.
Weakness is provocative.
-- Donald Rumsfeld, 21 Jul 2004.
Ignorance is strength, and intelligence is faith.
If you have intelligence that a ship has terrorists on board you don't
wait until the ship is berthed before you do something about it.
-- PM John Howard, 20 Jul 2004
Ahead of an Aussie report on a series of intel failures, the PM has
announced a new intel-based $100 mn package to make Aussie shipping
and ports safer. And bring them up to UN standard.
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Tue, 20 Jul 2004.
HEADLINES:
Floods kill 151, affect 21 mn in India
Blast kills at least 9 in Iraq
Hezbollah vows revenge after militant's killing
Assailants kill Basra governor
Oil nears $US42/bbl
Top cmdrs in Iraq allowed dogs to be used
Snr Iraqi official assassinated
Polish troops may switch from Iraq to Afghanistan
Marine who disappeared in Iraq says he was captured, did not desert post
Last of Philippine troops leave Iraq
Iraq's interim PM discusses oil pipeline with Jordan's king
Iraq envoy expects better ties with Iran
Egyptian hostage freed in Iraq
Brit military helicopter crashes in Iraq, one dead
ASIO prompts maritime security plan
Annual turnover solid for Harvey Norman
Arafat scrambles to defuse crisis over Gaza chaos
Aussie PM denies intel needs changes
Aussie-US investment soars
Baghdad real estate sizzles amid chaos
Bashir trial within a month: Indonesia
Bhopal disaster victims awarded compensation
Boeing, Airbus spar at Farnborough over orders, state aid
Bomb attack hits W Russia
Brit PM admits graves claim 'untrue'
Call to end whaling moratorium dominates IWC opening
Chernobyl still hitting shrooms
China's flood season leaves at least 13 dead
Chirac tells Sharon he is not welcome in France: report
Clark quiet on bugging allegations
Cricketing boomerang comes back -- with interest
Documentary boom
Documents show Sudanese govt behind Darfur militias: HRW
EU approves Sony, Bertelsmann merger
East Timor protest escalates
Egyptian hostage freed, Filipino's fate unknown
Govt enterprises 'could do better'
Howard hints at late poll, Latham shrugs off slide
Howard rejects spy agency overhaul
Israel fires missiles at Gaza house
Israeli judge shot dead
Japan PM to seek US 'consideration' for accused deserter
Lebovic says Newspoll shows a trend
Man charged over latest Norfolk Is murder
Mornington tip search ends
Mornington tip search may end
NAB survey shows economy doing well
NASA's estimates rise for work on space shuttle fleet
Nat'l port security to be boosted
Nat'l prostate tissue bank to be formed
PM says NZ has to prepare for more frequent floods
Palestinian leadership in crisis: Annan
Police break up Dili riot
QLD producers banned from moving fruit
Rights group says Sudan aids abuses
Second quake in week rattles Canada's W coast
Sens want to know more on 'ghost' detainees
Son charged with minister's murder
Sudan militias rape 100s of women, Amnesty says
Sudanese militiamen jailed, UN says attacks continue
Telstra job goes to Howard mate, says Labor
Telstra plans will not change: PM
UK officials failed to protect asylum seekers, court hears
UN delays vote on Israeli wall
US continues to investigate Iran terrorist claims
US probing possible Iran role in Sep 11 -- Bush
Ukraine blast sees at least 24 dead
W Nile strikes early, hits W harder than rest
Week opens slowly on Wall Street
Oil nears $US42/bbl
NY (AFP). The main crude oil contract in NY climbed to a 7-wk high on
Mon, nearing record levels amid worries about terrorism, supply risks
and political tensions. New York's benchmark light sweet contract for
delivery in Aug rose 39 US cents to $US41.64/bbl, the highest close
since the Jun 1 record finish of $US42.33. Brent N Sea crude for Sep
fell 10 cents to $US37.90. High demand for oil from China, fears over
supplies and uncertainty about terrorism in Iraq and the wider Middle
E kept prices higher in the traditionally slack US summer season. In
an effort to curb world prices, the Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed in Jun to raise its output ceiling
by 2.5 mn bpd in 2 stages.
Iraq's interim PM discusses oil pipeline with Jordan's king
Amman (AP/Boston Globe). Iraq's interim PM, making his 1st regional
tour since taking office, met with Jordan's King Abdullah II Mon to
discuss security issues and the possibility of connecting the 2
countries with an oil pipeline.
In a statement released after the talks, the king reaffirmed Jordan's
support for Iraqi interim PM Iyad Allawi's "efforts to reinstate
security and stability in Iraq."
Abdullah said officials from both countries discussed establishing a
Jordanian-Iraqi Higher Committee to "discuss all programs of
cooperation between both countries." It will likely stress economic
and security issues.
Jordanian For Min Marwan Muasher said the leaders revived the idea of
building an oil pipeline between the 2 countries, a plan that had been
floated during Saddam Hussein's rule but put on the backburner because
of the high costs involved.
Until the outset of the US-led war to oust Saddam, Iraq was Jordan's
only oil supplier, covering the kingdom's daily requirement of 90,000
bbl of fuel and crude oil.
Muasher also said Iraq wanted Jordan to help develop economic
legislation and free trade agreements. Jordan signed a free trade
agreement with the US in 2002 and Singapore this y. It is also seeking
a free trade deal with the European Union.
Allawi praised Jordan's support for Iraq.
"We will never forget Jordan standing beside its brothers in Iraq, and
we look forward to consolidating our relations," Allawi said in a
statement released by Jordan's royal palace.
Allawi said Iraq also "appreciates Jordan's help ... in training
elements of the Iraqi army, the police and other civilian forces, and
for presenting military equipment to the Iraqi army."
Muasher confirmed the supply of military equipment to Iraq but
provided no details on what was delivered.
More than 4,000 Iraqi army and police cadets attended courses this y
in Jordan under an agreement with the now-defunct US-led occupation
authority. The agreement envisions the training of 32,000 Iraqi police
officers over 2 y.
Other issues expected to be discussed during Allawi's trip include the
possible use of other Arab forces in Iraq and the fate of Iraqi assets
frozen since the US-led war.
Iraq has said it does not want Arab troops to help with peacekeeping
efforts. But Abdullah said on Jul 1 that Jordan was willing to send
troops, even though he felt Iraq's immediate neighbours were not the
right people to go in because each had their own agendas in Iraq.
Week opens slowly on Wall Street
It has been a lacklustre session of trade to open the wk on Wall Street.
NY/Sydney. Prices on the NYSE have drifted somewhat lower with
investors unhappy with downbeat forecasts from the diversified
manufacturer, 3M.
The maker of Post-It notes and Scotch tape says its Q3 earnings will
be just below consensus market forecasts.
There is also an air of caution as the market awaits congressional
testimony from Fed Reserve chief Alan Greenspan over the next 2 nights.
The DJIA has closed 46 points lower at 10,094.
Prices on the high-tech Nasdaq market are just in positive territory
supported by software leader, Microsoft.
The company's shares have been up around 2% after Goldman Sachs
offered the view its results due later in the wk might exceed expectations.
The Nasdaq composite index has edged ahead less than one point to 1,884.
There has been a decline in prices on the Brit share market, the third
successive losing session.
UK investors are concerned about what the company reporting season
might have in store.
London's FT-100 index has lost 18 points to finish at 4,321.
The Aussie market yesterday managed just the barest of gains.
Woolworths shares rose almost 2% to $11.60 after it reported 6.2% lift
in quarterly sales.
Nat'l AUS Bank shares continued to lose ground finishing at $28.00, a
nr 3-y low.
The All Ords added less than 2 points to end the day at 3,535.
The AUD remains above 73 US cents after benefiting from Fri night's
wobble in the value of the American dollar.
At 7.00 am the local currency was being quoted at 73.25 US cents, down
less than one tenth of a cent from yesterday's local close.
On the cross rates, it is at 0.5889 euros, 79.33 Japanese yen, 39.23
pence sterling, and against the NZ dollar it is at $1.113.
The gold price is at $US405.95/oz.
West Texas crude oil is trading at about $US41.55/bbl.
Aussie-US investment soars
Canberra (AAP). Two-way investment between AUS and the US is soaring
ahead of the free trade agreement between the 2 nations.
New figures released by the Aussie Bureau of Statistics show foreign
investment in AUS climbed 9.1% in 2003 to $978.1 bn.
The US accounted for $297.3 bn, or 30%, of the total foreign
investment in AUS, in front of the UK ($258.8 bn or 26%) and Japan
($44.8 bn or 5%).
Aussie investment overseas climbed 7.8% to $508.2 bn, with
$211 bn, or 42%, of that into the US.
AUS's love affair with the US overwhelmed every other country, with
investment in second-ranked Brit at $82.6 bn or 16%.
In terms of financial transactions, the US was the leading investor
country in AUS accounting for $47.9 bn of the $76.9 bn that accrued in 2003.
Of the investment transactions by Aussie firms overseas, 52% of the
$45.6 bn was with the US.
The figures underscore the close economic relationship between AUS and
the US ahead of the free trade deal which both countries hope to have
in operation from Jan 1 next y.
But in a cause for concern, foreign investment between AUS and another
free trade deal partner has fallen sharply.
The AUS-Singapore free trade deal has been in operation more than 12 m.
But Singaporean foreign investment transactions in AUS fell 5% or
$4.9 bn during 2003.
Aussie investment transactions in Singapore dropped 3% or $1.4 bn.
One of the biggest falls in investment occurred from HK. Firms from
the former English colony withdrew more than $12 bn investment in AUS
through the y.
Other countries, apart from the US, are making up the shortfall.
Investment in AUS from Bermuda-listed firms lifted from $1.4 bn in
2001 to $2.3 bn in 2003.
Boeing, Airbus spar at Farnborough over orders, state aid
Farnborough, England (AFP). The war of words between Boeing and
Airbus flared as the 2 aircraft giants clashed over state aid at the
Farnborough Air Show, while Boeing took an early lead over its
European rival with a 13-plane deal from Emirates.
Thousands of plane buffs, industry executives and the world's media
began flocking to the biennial air show nr London for a week-long
extravaganza of deal-making, fly pasts and a marketing blitz.
The mood among industry chiefs was markedly more optimistic than 2 ya,
when the aviation industry was sinking into its worst financial crisis
in the wake of the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist hijackings in the US.
Boeing scored an early point against arch-rival Airbus with an order
from Dubai-based airline Emirates for 4 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and
an option on 9 more in a deal worth 2.96 bn dollars at list prices.
But otherwise deals were thin on the ground on the 1st day, though
Airbus executives hinted they could unveil orders later in the week,
possibly for the new A380 super-jumbo.
The commercial rivalry between the 2 manufacturers has shifted up a
gear recently as the US group Boeing accuses its European rival of
receiving what it says are unjustified govt subsidies.
Airbus is 80% owned by the European Aeronautic, Defense and Space
company (EADS) and 20% by BAE Systems.
Airbus chief executive Noel Forgeard hit back with a long tirade
against Boeing's complaints, insisting that his company receives loans
not subsidies from European govts.
"We pay commercial interest on them and we shall repay every cent," he
told reporters. Boeing also received state aid from the state of
Washington, Forgeard pointed out.
"It's a classic part of our competitor's speech that we will not be
able to repay our loans," he added.
Alan Mulally, head of Boeing Co's commercial aircraft division, accused
Airbus of not abiding by the spirit of a 1992 bilateral agreement
between the US and European authorities to gradually reduce state aid.
"The EU and the US agreed to move in this direction in 1992 and they
haven't," he said, calling for the agreement to be renegotiated.
However, both manufacturers said they wanted to avoid sparking a
full-blown transatlantic trade spat that could hit both companies' orders.
"I don't think it's going to come down to a trade war," Mulally said.
Both manufacturers are looking forward to a pick-up in orders in the
coming y as growth in global air travel, notably in Asia, drives
demand for new aircraft, despite record high oil prices.
Global passenger traffic levels have at last recovered to levels seen
before the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and low-cost carriers in
particular are flourishing.
"2 y ago the industry was in recession," said Airbus's Forgeard.
"Our customers were suffering badly. Today we see the end of the tunnel
and growth is again resuming. Airline traffic is picking up again.
Indications are that this upward trend will continue and even accelerate."
Boeing's Mulally predicted "a gradual recovery" in the commercial aviation
industry, though he said high oil prices and terrorism fears would pare growth.
Farnborough 2004 is the 1st since European aircraft manufacturer Airbus
stole the top spot in civil aviation from US arch-rival Boeing last y.
Airbus believes it has stolen a march on Boeing with the development
of the 550-seat A380 super-jumbo, which will be the world's largest
airliner, eclipsing Boeing's 747. So far it has 129 orders for the
A380, which is due to enter service in 2006.
Boeing meanwhile is pinning its hopes on the 7E7, a mid-size jet it
says is 20% more fuel-efficient than comparable aircraft in its class,
with the long-haul range of a larger aircraft.
The US giant already has orders for 62 planes, which is scheduled for
delivery in 2008.
Meanwhile Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer announced orders for 9
planes from 2 US carriers, 7 ERJ 145s from Trans State Airlines and 2
Embraer 170s from Republic Airways. Financial details were not disclosed.
EU approves Sony, Bertelsmann merger
Brussels (Reuters). The European Union approved without any
conditions the merger of BMG and Sony Music, both music companies
said, one day ahead of a planned announcement from competition authorities.
Combining the recorded music businesses of Bertelsmann and Sony Corp
will create the world's second-largest music company, behind Vivendi's
Universal Music, with revenue between $US4.5 bn and $US5 bn.
The company is slated to be named Sony BMG and will include a wide
array of artists, including Aerosmith, Beyonce and Britney Spears.
The proposed merger does not include the music publishing units of
either company, Sony's Japanese arm or its CD manufacturing business.
Commission officials were not immediately available to comment, though
approval has been widely expected since people familiar with the
situation tipped the EU's likely recommendation last m.
Sony and Bertelsmann have argued that difficulties in the music industry,
which is facing declining sales of CDs and illegal downloading,
necessitated the merger.
The deal still requires approval from US regulators, who are expected
to reveal their decision as early as today, when the EC is also
scheduled to make its formal announcement on the merger.
The deal is opposed by independent record producers, who found some
initial support at the commission.
Floods kill 151, affect 21 mn in India
Delhi (Xinhua). Floods continued to devastate Bihar state in E India
and Assam state in NE India on Mon with latest estimates saying that
151 persons have lost their lives and nearly 21 mn persons have been affected.
"Nearly 12 mn people continued to reel under the impact of the floods
which had unleashed their fury in 17 districts of Bihar," the Press
Trust of India (PTI) quoted state relief and rehabilitation dept
sources as said.
"78 people have so far lost their lives in the current spell of floods
in Bihar," the sources said.
Bihar Chief Min Rabri Devi has asked the district officials to further
intensify the relief work for affected people with the help of army personnel.
According to a central water commission report, all the major rivers,
including Gandak, Ganga, Kosi and Bagmati, were flowing above the
danger mark at different points along their course.
The death toll in the flood that had gripped Assam rose to 73 with
reports of 5 more drowning cases including that of an 8-mo infant
coming from Morigaon district, PTI reported.
Meanwhile, with the recovery of the carcass of a 7-mo rhino calf at
the Bontapu forest in the Orang nat'l park, the number of animals
killed in the floods in Assam has risen to 231.
The flood has affected 26 of the 27 districts in Assam. The situation
in Assam remains grim, affecting nearly 9 mn people and disrupting
rail and road communication in the state.
Brahmaputra river, fed by incessant rain in Meghalaya state in NE
India, has over-topped Nat'l Highway Number 37, threatening to disrupt
the vital road communication to upper Assamas well as the NE Indian
states of Nagaland and Manipur.
PM Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit Assam on Tue to take stock of
the situation.
"Meanwhile, state of Tripura in NE India continued to remain cut off
from the rest of the nation since Jul 9 due to landslides caused by
incessant rains," PTI quoted local official sources as said.
Floods and landslides are common in India during the monsoon season
when yearly rains combine with melting snow from the Himalayas.
Millions are displaced each y by floods in the monsoon season in India.
Ukraine blast sees at least 24 dead
Kiev (AFP). At least 24 miners have been killed and 13 were missing
in a gas explosion and fire that ravaged a coal mine in eastern
Ukraine, the Ukrainian emergencies ministry said. The bodies of 24
miners have been brought to the surface, a ministry rep told AFP. 9
miners managed to escape the mine on their own, while 13 were still
missing, out of the 46 men who were working 545 meters under the
surface when the incident occurred, the rep said. The fire broke out
at the Krasnolimanskaya mine, in the eastern Donetsk region, while a
loud bang was heard almost simultaneously. The work of the rescuers
was complicated by the presence of thick smoke inside the mine.
China's flood season leaves at least 13 dead
Beijing (AFP). The flood season has swept across China leaving at
least 13 people dead and causing widespread destruction, with more
than a mn people affected in one province alone, state media has said.
S Guangxi province was hit by unusually heavy rainfall, directly
resulting in 8 deaths as people were engulfed in mountain torrents or
crushed under collapsing houses, the China News Service said.
This followed reports from Yunnan province, nr the border with Myanmar,
that 5 people had died and 11 were missing in rain-induced floods and
mud slides.
Several days of massive rainfall in the central province of Hunan
caused severe flooding along major rivers, affecting more than 1.3 mn
people, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The number of people who were injured or had fallen ill as a direct
result of the floods had reached 1,043 throughout the province as of
late Mon, according to the agency.
A total of 52,000 required emergency evacuation in the most critically
affected areas.
In neighbouring Hubei province, the city of Qianjiang saw precipitation
of 300 millimetres over the weekend, the heaviest on record for 24 y.
In eastern Shandong province, 5 people were injured and one remained
in critical condition after a tornado and accompanying rainstorm
struck, which caused more than 1,200 houses to collapse, Xinhua reported.
Shandong villagers described chaotic scenes, and a roar louder than
that of a passing train as the tornado ripped off roofs from houses,
exposing the inhabitants to the elements.
In Guizhou province, part of China's SW, continuous rainstorms wreaked
havoc in 17 counties, with more than 215,000 people threatened by
mountain torrents and landslides.
The Chinese govt said last wk that 555 people have lost their lives so
far this y in natural calamities, including floods, landslides and mud flows.
Second quake in week rattles Canada's W coast
Vancouver, BC (Reuters). Canada's Pacific Coast was rattled by its
2nd large earthquake in less than a wk on Mon, waking residents but
causing no major damage.
The 6.1 magnitude quake, which occurred at 1.01 am PDT, was centred
in the Pacific Ocean about 40 km SW of Vancouver Island's Nootka
Sound, according to the Pacific Geoscience Center.
That's the same undersea area as a magnitude 5.8 quake on Thu, The
trembler was felt across Vancouver Island and in the Vancouver area,
about 310 km E of the quake's epicenter, where residents reported
swaying lights and distraught pets.
"The whole house started to move back and forth, and the lights
started to rock in the living room," a caller told a Vancouver radio station.
Scientists say it was only coincidence the 2 quakes were so close in
both location and timing. Earthquakes are common on Canada's Pacific
Coast, but most are not felt on the surface because they are too small
or happen so deep.
"In a spatial sense, it's not surprising to get the occasional larger
one, and sometimes you will get 2 larger ones hot on the heels of one
another," said Herb Dragert, a seismologist with the Geological Survey
of Canada.
"Aside from that, we're not reading anything else into it," Dragert said.
Bomb attack hits W Russia
Voronezh, Russia. A bomb has gone off in W Russia killing at least
one and injuring several others. Eyewitnesses say the bomb was thrown
at a minibus as it passed by a bus stop in the W Russian city of
Voronezh. Security services say one person has been killed and 3
wounded. Officials are investigating but there has been no info about
suspects or motives for the attack. Police are still investigating a
Feb bombing in the city, again targeting a bus stop. It is believed
the attacks are linked to local criminal gangs rather than the nearly
decade-long war in Chechnya.
Bhopal disaster victims awarded compensation
Delhi (BBC). 20 y after the Bhopal gas disaster, India's Supreme
Court has released $mns in compensation to the victims. The disaster
was one of the world's worst industrial accidents. India Supreme
Court has decided to release $327 mn in compensation to a limited
number of those effected by the gas leak. Nearly 20,000 people have
died of various diseases since the disaster. Almost half of the
survivors were left totally or partially disabled. Union Carbide paid
more than $470 mn in a settlement to the Indian Govt not long after
the leak. Much of the money remained in a bank account as the Indian
Courts sifted through 1000s of civil claims. Many victims have
already argued the settlement is a pittance and that the Indian Govt
failed to prosecute those responsible.
Rights group says Sudan aids abuses
UN (NY Times). An internat'l human rights group said Mon that it had
Sudanese govt records showing that the authorities in Sudan are
recruiting, arming and protecting the Arab militias attacking black
Africans in the Darfur region in a campaign that UN officials have
called ethnic cleansing.
Officials in Khartoum, Sudan's capital, have denied reports of
complicity with fighters held responsible for the deaths of 30,000
people and the displacement of more than a mn. They have answered the
internat'l outcry over the crisis with vows to disarm the militias and
curb the violence.
"What these documents show is there is a need to go past the fiction
maintained by Khartoum that there is a serious distinction between the
Sudanese govt and the Janjaweed militia that the govt has sponsored,"
said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch.
In a news conference at the UN, Mr Roth deplored the delay in
obtaining a Sec Council resolution placing sanctions on Sudan's
leaders, and he said the time had come to cease trusting Khartoum's
claims that it will head off the problem and its pleas for time to do so.
"The Khartoum govt is trying to have it both ways maintaining a facade
of cooperation with the internat'l community but in fact doing relatively
little to rein in the ongoing atrocities in Darfur," Mr Roth said.
Both Sec-Gen Kofi Annan and Secretary of State Colin L Powell went to
Darfur this m to pressure Sudanese officials, but a US-sponsored draft
resolution has run into delays on the Sec Council from countries
interested in giving Sudan time to comply with its promises to act.
Mr Roth displayed the Arabic documents and English translations of
them and said they had been authenticated by Sudanese sources that the
human rights group had found reliable in the past.
One, dated days after the Feb 9 public declaration by the Sudanese
president, Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir, to "end all military
operations in Darfur," ordered provincial officials instead to
increase recruitment and support fighters.
Another, a m later, called for additional "provisions and ammunition."
A 3rd laid out plans for resettling lands from which black villagers
had been evicted or eliminated.
Mr Roth said his group had also turned up evidence that instead of
disarming Janjaweed warriors, the govt was incorporating them into the
new police and security forces it was creating in the name of
combating the militias.
Mr Roth ridiculed the draft Sec Council resolution, which does not
call for sanctions against Sudanese leaders, only restrictions on
travel and money of Janjaweed officials. "Freezing bank accounts and
restricting travel for people who don't have bank accounts and don't
travel won't do any good," he said.
Documents show Sudanese govt behind Darfur militias: HRW
NY (AFP). Sudanese govt officials are directly involved in
recruiting, arming and other support to the notorious Janjaweed
militia that terrorise the black population of the W region of Darfur,
Human Rights Watch said.
Citing Sudanese govt documents, the human rights group called for an
immediate, strongly worded UN resolution that sanctions Khartoum and
govt officials responsible for crimes against humanity.
The internat'l rights watchdog said the confidential documents in its
possession implicate high-ranking govt officials in a policy of
militia support.
"It's absurd to distinguish between the Sudanese govt forces and the
militias -- they are one," said Peter Takirambudde, executive director
of Human Rights Watch's Africa Division. "These documents show that
militia activity has not just been condoned, it's been specifically
supported by Sudan govt officials."
The documents in Arabic dating from Feb and March 2004 call for
recruitment and military support of the Janjaweed militia, including
delivery of "provisions and ammunition" to be delivered to known
militia leaders, camps and "loyalist tribes."
A Feb directive orders all security units in the area to tolerate the
activities of known Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal in North Darfur,
according to the group.
The document highlights the importance of "non-interference so as not
to question their authority" and authorises security units in a North
Darfur province to "overlook minor offences by the fighters against
civilians who are suspected members of the rebellion."
Another document calls for a plan for "resettlement operations of
nomads in places from which the outlaws withdrew," HRW said.
The group said Sudanese govt forces and govt-backed militias are
responsible for crimes against humanity, war crimes and "ethnic
cleansing" involving aerial and ground attacks on civilians of the
same ethnicity as members of 2 rebel groups in Darfur.
Thousands of civilians have been killed, 100s of women and girls have
been raped and more than one mn people have been forcibly displaced
from their homes and farms in Darfur, HRW said.
Human Rights Watch called for Sudan govt officials implicated in the
policy of militia support to be added to the UN sanctions list
included as part of a pending UN resolution on Darfur.
It also called for internat'l monitoring of the disarmament of the
militia groups and the establishment of an internat'l commission of
inquiry into the abuses committed in Darfur by all parties to the conflict.
Sudan militias rape 100s of women, Amnesty says
London. Human rights group Amnesty Internat'l has accused militia in
the troubled Darfur region of W Sudan of using rape and abduction as a
weapon of war. Amnesty says that the militia men sometimes tortured
women and broke their limbs to prevent them from escaping from rape
and sexual slavery. The director of Amnesty Internat'l UK, Kate Allen
says it appears a huge number of women have been abused. "The
evidence that we've got is from interviews with 100s of refugees in
camps on the Chad, Sudan border," she said. "We know the names of 250
women who've been raped and we have info on at least another 250 cases
and this is only a fraction of the likely figure. "We're being told
of cases of rape of girls as young as 8, women as old as 80 -- it
is systematic and it is absolutely horrendous."
Sudanese militiamen jailed, UN says attacks continue
Khartoum (Reuters). A Sudanese court has sentenced 10 Arab militiamen
to amputation and 6 y in jail in the 1st conviction of Janjaweed
militia fighters for looting and killing in the Darfur region.
As news of the ruling emerged, the UN and rights groups said villagers
in the region, where the fighting has caused one of the world's worst
humanitarian crises, were still besieged by militia despite pledges by
Sudan to protect them.
Tens of 1000s have died in Darfur and more than one mn people have
fled their homes in the Darfur region.
UN Sec-Gen Kofi Annan will determine if Sudan has lived up to those
promises upon the return of Jan Pronk, his envoy for Darfur, who
briefs the Security Council on Wed, UN rep Fred Eckhard said.
An initial report after a meeting between Sudanese officials and Mr
Pronk in Khartoum on Sat on monitoring the pledges appeared bleak,
particularly on quelling militia accused of murdering, raping and
uprooting black African villagers.
"At the meeting United Nations officials said that, although
humanitarian access had improved, there had been no progress on
security and protection of internally displaced peoples (IDPs) in the
region," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs in a statement read by Mr Eckhard.
Amnesty Internat'l said in a report released on Mon that militias in
Sudan were gang-raping and abducting girls as young as 8 and women
as old as 80, systematically killing, torturing, or using them as sex slaves.
The rights group said Khartoum was violating its legal obligations to
protect civilians.
The Amnesty report was released in Beirut, and the Sudanese embassy
there said in a statement that it was aimed at defaming the govt,
distorting Arab culture and driving a wedge between Sudan's ethnic groups.
Janjaweed have been fighting rebels in Sudan's westerly Darfur region
since last y.
The ruling by a court in Nyala in Darfur, seen by Reuters, was the
first conviction of Janjaweed members for their role in the conflict.
A cross amputation is normally the cutting off of one hand and a foot on the
opposite side of the body, although the ruling did not spell out exact details.
ASIO prompts maritime security plan
Canberra (AAP). AUS's maritime security was upgraded following an
ASIO assessment which revealed terror groups such as al-Qaeda could
attack maritime targets, PM John Howard said.
Announcing the maritime security enhancements, Mr Howard said the
number of containers subject to X-ray inspection by Customs in SYD,
MEL, Bris and Fremantle would be increased.
As well, the number of ports covered by Customs closed circuit
TV would be increased from 32 to 63.
Mr Howard said there would also be a further review of security
arrangements for AUS's offshore oil and gas facilities by a new
taskforce within the Dept of the PM and Cabinet.
He said the taskforce would also consider Aussie govt capabilities and
protocols for intercepting ships at sea.
"The maritime security refinements follow a review of current policy
settings," he said in a statement.
"The review was informed by a comprehensive threat assessment prepared
by the Aussie Security Intel Organisation (ASIO). The ASIO assessment
pointed to the fact that al-Qaeda and associated groups continue to
have a capacity to carry out terrorist attacks, including against
maritime interests."
Mr Howard said the review noted the important role of police forces in
providing 1st response at and nr ports, and he would write to state
premiers and to the N Territory chief minister about their roles in
maritime security.
"There are also potentially shared responsibilities for maritime
security at higher levels of counter-terrorism alert that will be
further examined, including through the Nat'l Counter-Terrorism
Committee," he said.
"The Aussie Govt retains a range of capabilities for responding in the
event of a higher level of alert, and arrangements for deployment are
set down in the Nat'l Counter-Terrorism Plan."
Mr Howard acknowledged the hard work and commitment of the maritime
industry in complying with the Internat'l Ship and Port Facility
Security Code by the Jul 1 deadline.
He said 244 security plans covering AUS's ports, port facilities and
ships were approved ahead of the deadline.
"As a result of this commitment, AUS's maritime security arrangements
are amongst the best in the world," he said.
Mr Howard said the govt would introduce other security refinements
including amending the Migration Act to allow passengers on round trip
cruises to be more easily checked.
The govt will introduce a security identification card for maritime
industry employees and provide $4.4 mn to allow the Transport Security
Operations Centre within the Dept of Transport to operate around the clock.
Clark quiet on bugging allegations
Wellington (AAP). NZ PM Helen Clark has refused to comment on a media
report intel agencies bugged 2 Israeli passport fraudsters to prove
they were Mossad agents.
The NZ Herald newspaper said it "understands" intel agencies confirmed
Eli Cara and Uriel Kelman were Mossad agents by bugging their communications.
Clark, the minister responsible for the agencies, said through a rep
she would not discuss security issues.
That extended to refusing to say whether the report was accurate or
off the mark.
After the pair were sentenced last wk, Clark said there was no doubt
that they were Israeli intel operatives.
Clark also said that Israel knew how NZ was aware of the men's status.
The PM has condemned Israel for breaching NZ's sovereignty after the
pair were jailed for 6 m for attempting to fraudulently obtain a passport.
She has called on Israel to explain and apologise for its "utterly
unacceptable" behaviour.
The diplomatic sanctions Clark has imposed include delaying approval
for the appointment of a new Israeli ambassador.
All Israeli officials who want to visit New Zealand will have to apply
for visas and foreign ministry consultations scheduled for later this
year have been postponed.
Covert surveillance of the pair began after an NZ Internal Affairs
officer became suspicious about a passport application.
The men were arrested on March 23. The Herald said the intel operation
before their arrest would have been carried out by NZ's Govt
Communications Security Bureau or the Security Intel Service.
It was more likely to have been the security bureau, which is
specifically geared to foreign intel matters, the newspaper said.
Brit PM admits graves claim 'untrue'
[Goes on to make new exaggerated and unsupported claims].
London (Observer). Downing Street has admitted to The Observer that
repeated claims by Tony Blair that "400,000 bodies had been found in
Iraqi mass graves" is untrue, and only about 5,000 corpses have so far
been uncovered.
The claims by Blair in Nov and Dec of last y, were given widespread
credence, quoted by MPs and widely published, including in the
introduction to a US govt pamphlet on Iraq's mass graves.
In that publication -- Iraq's Legacy of Terror: Mass Graves produced
by USAID, the US govt aid distribution agency, Blair is quoted from 20
Nov last y: "We've already discovered, just so far, the remains of
400,000 people in mass graves."
On 14 Dec Blair repeated the claim in a statement issued by Downing
Street in response to the arrest of Saddam Hussein and posted on the
Labour party website that: "The remains of 400,000 human beings [have]
already [been] found in mass graves."
The admission that the figure has been hugely inflated follows a wk in
which Blair accepted responsibility for charges in the Butler report
over the way in which Downing Street pushed intel reports "to the
outer limits" in the case for the threat posed by Iraq.
Downing Street's admission comes amid growing questions over precisely
how many perished under Saddam's 3 decades of terror, and the location
of the bodies of the dead.
The Baathist regime was responsible for massive human rights abuses
and murder on a large scale -- not least in well-documented campaigns
including the gassing of Halabja, the al-Anfal campaign against
Kurdish villages and the brutal repression of the Shia uprising -- but
serious questions are now emerging about the scale of Saddam Hussein's murders.
It comes amid inflation from an estimate by Human Rights Watch in May
2003 of 290,000 "missing" to the latest claims by the Iraqi PM, Iyad
Allawi, that one mn are missing.
At the heart of the questions are the numbers so far identified in
Iraq's graves. Of 270 suspected grave sites identified in the last y,
55 have now been examined, revealing, according to the best estimates
that The Observer has been able to obtain, around 5,000 bodies. Forensic
examination of grave sites has been hampered by lack of security in
Iraq, amid widespread complaints by human rights organisations that
until recently the graves have not been secured and protected.
While some sites have contained 100s of bodies -- including a series
around the town of Hilla and another nr the Saudi border -- others
have contained no more than a dozen.
And while few have any doubts that Saddam's regime was responsible for
serious crimes against humanity, the exact scale of those crimes has
become increasingly politicised in both Washington and London as it
has become clearer that the case against Iraq for retention of weapons
of mass destruction has faded.
The USAID website, which quotes Blair's 400,000 assertion, states: "If
these numbers prove accurate, they represent a crime against humanity
surpassed only by the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Pol Pot's Cambodian
killing fields in the 1970s, and the Nazi Holocaust of World War II."
It is an issue that Human Rights Watch was acutely aware of when it
compiled its own pre-invasion research -- admitting that it had to
reduce estimates for the al-Anfal campaign produced by Kurds by over a
third, as they believed the numbers they had been given were inflated.
Hania Mufti, one of the researchers that produced that estimate, said:
"Our estimates were based on estimates. The eventual figure was based
in part on circumstantial info gathered over the years."
A further difficulty, according to Inforce, a group of Brit forensic
experts in mass grave sites based at Bournemouth University who
visited Iraq last y, was in the constant over-estimation of site sizes
by Iraqis they met. "Witnesses were often likely to have unrealistic
ideas of the numbers of people in grave areas that they knew about,"
said Jonathan Forrest.
"Local people would tell us of 10,000s of people buried at single
grave sites and when we would get there they would be in multiple 100s."
A Downing Street rep said: "While experts may disagree on the exact
figures, human rights groups, govts and politicians across the world
have no doubt that Saddam killed 100s of 1000s of his own people and
their remains are buried in sites throughout Iraq."
Aussie PM denies intel needs changes
There was no need for any major changes to AUS's intel services, PM
John Howard says.
Canberra (AAP). Mr Howard is currently considering the long-awaited
Flood report into AUS's intel community which has reportedly found
that assessments of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were overstated
by local agencies.
Mr Howard said he would release the unclassified version of the Flood
report to the public and the govt's response when it had finished
reviewing the info.
"Let me express my own view and that is that I think we are very well
served by our intel services and I don't think there is a case for any
big changes, any fundamental rearrangement," he told ABC radio.
"I think our intel services did a very honest and cautious and
conscientious job in relation to both Iraq and in relation to other
intel challenges that this country has had."
Mr Howard also dismissed criticisms by Labor that the Flood inquiry
had failed to examine if there had been any political influence placed
on AUS's intel agencies.
"There was no political interference in the intel services," he said.
"We have not heavied the intel services, we have not manipulated intel.
"We set up the Flood inquiry in the way recommended by the
parliamentary committee, which included from the Labor Party Mr [Kim]
Beazley and Sen [Robert] Ray.
"We did exactly what we were asked to do by that committee."
The keenly anticipated Flood report has found the intel errors were
not the result of any political pressure from the govt, according to
The Age newspaper.
The newspaper said it was understood the report, which goes before
cabinet, found intel agencies contributed to the lack of warning about
the Bali bombings nearly 2 y ago by failing to target terror group
Jemaah Islamiyah.
Howard rejects spy agency overhaul
Canberra. PM John Howard has played down the need for a major
overhaul of AUS's spy agencies as a result of an inquiry by former
intel officer Phillip Flood. Fed Cabinet will today consider the
findings of the inquiry into AUS's intel agencies. "I don't think
there is a case for any big changes, any fundamental rearrangement,"
Mr Howard said. He has not ruled out boosting resources to one
agency, the Office of Nat'l Assessments. Mr Howard insists AUS has
been well served by its intel agencies, saying they did an honest,
cautious and conscientious job before the Iraq war, and denies any
political interference. Mr Howard received the findings of the
inquiry on Mon. There are 2 versions of the report -- one is
classified and the other will be publicly released.
Documentary boom
The documentary genre has been given a boost by film-makers such as
Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock.
Brisbane. Once the preserve of art house cinemas and film festivals,
documentaries are breaking into the multiplexes, and to some extent we
have George W Bush to thank for it.
The paradigm shift in world politics brought on by the Sep 11
terrorism attacks, and the subsequent 'war on terror' fought in
Afghanistan and Iraq, has left cinema-goers hungry for info.
Pat Fiske, co-head of documentary at the Aussie Film Television and
Radio School (AFTRS), says the genre's popularity has been building
for quite some time, but was given a major boost in 2002 by Michael
Moore's Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine -- the highest grossing
documentary of all time.
"There's been a big push lately, with theatres accepting docos because
they may be possible money spinners," she said.
"Last year, Winged Migration, Tupac: Resurrection, Spellbound did
really, really well at the box office."
Earlier this year, Morgan Spurlock's low-budget Super Size Me broke
Bowling for Columbine's Aussie record for largest opening weekend box
office takings.
The film, which cost $US75,000 to make, reaped a 4-day
gross of $353,746 on only 26 screens, rocketing the film to number 6
on the box office ladder.
In the US, Moore's anti-George W Bush rant Fahrenheit 9/11 has broken
the box office record for highest documentary debut in North America
and is well on its way to setting a new high tide mark in AUS.
In just 3 days at sneak preview screenings in AUS, Fahrenheit 9/11 has
grossed more than $760,000 -- smashing the record set by Super Size Me.
Ms Fiske says the change in world politics has piqued people's interest.
"It's a much more serious place, there are issues of fear and safety
in everyone's minds, people are starting to want more content and
meaning in their lives and are more interested in what's going on in
the world," she said.
Mixing pop and politics Dr Toni Johnson-Wood, a contemporary studies
lecturer at the University of Qld, says documentaries are blurring the
line between info and entertainment.
"Remember Mike Moore got the [Academy Award for Best Documentary] last
year, so therefore he was at a media event receiving an accolade for a
media item -- he was at the Academy Awards, seen as entertainment
generally, and we had political issues mixed up," she said.
"Now, if it's not a media event we don't give a damn about it, whether
it's a football game, a show like Big Brother, or a war."
She says the popularity of documentary has been presaged by the
success of documentary-style feature films such as The Castle and Best
in Show, mockumentaries such as The Blair Witch Project, tv shows in
the vein of and The Office, and the boom in reality tv.
Anne Demy-Geroe, artistic director at this year's Bris Internat'l Film
Festival (BIFF), has watched documentary films go from strength to
strength through her involvement in the festival.
"Certainly when the festival 1st started 13 y ago we were very careful
about documentaries, about trying to get people into them -- often it
was hard work," she said.
"In the past we used to integrate the documentaries in with the fictional
films so as to not ghetto-ise them, so that people would just read
what they're about and would just think, 'this is an interesting film'
... but this y I'm just getting out and saying these are sensational
reflections of the world that you live in, this is other people showing
you different aspects of things, this is the way they feel about it.
Ms Demy-Geroe says recent world events have changed the way people
look at the world.
"I don't think there's this notion of escape at the moment, I think
people really want to know, I think people are really unsettled about
how they think about things ... [after Sep 11] people didn't know how
to talk about it, but I think there was so much uncertainty after
that," she said.
"I think that people use documentary to find new meaning in different
ways, not just politically, but our concept of the world.
"I suspect people feel they have been a little bit misinformed by our leaders
in the last couple of y and they really want to know what's going on."
She says events such as the Sep 11 attacks, the Bali bombing and the
war in Iraq have added weight to the importance given to documentaries.
"People are always aware that politicians and the media can represent
things in certain ways, I think everyone is aware of that and I guess
that the thing about film is that it, obviously there are commercial
imperatives, but many documentary makers at least are looking for the
truth," she said.
"They spend a lot of time on their documentaries, so it isn't
immediate in the way news is, they can search out over a long period
of time, they can ponder, they themselves question their own attitudes
in light of what unfolds for them and hopefully they condense that in
as objective a way as possible for us to then ponder in more depth and
at our leisure."
* A question of bias
Ms Demy-Geroe says in this context, Fahrenheit 9/11 is not really a
documentary but instead "agitprop" -- a style of film-making combining
aspects of agitation and propaganda.
"Emile de Antonio among others also marshaled facts to support his own
opinion but for an intellectual elite rather than for a mass
audience," she said.
"I guess this is the difference, that a mass audience perhaps wants to
be told the answers rather than engage in a dialogue with the film-maker,
and does not want to take responsibility for making up their own mind
based on checking a variety of sources."
Dr Johnson-Wood says there is always a risk people will not engage
with the material and be able to discern bias.
"If it's a viewer's bias then it's easily accepted, if it's the antithesis
then the viewer will reject outright it as propaganda," she said.
"Most viewers should 'negotiate' their readings and consider the
film-maker's own subjectivity, as well as the point of view of the
film distributor."
She says people should not accept Moore's material without examination,
but neither should they blindly accept what they are told by
politicians, religious leaders and teachers.
* Changing tactics
Dr Johnson-Wood, who has written about the Big Brother phenomenon,
says the documentary trend is linked to the rise of reality tv.
"A person's private torture is public entertainment, and it sounds
worse than it is because it also, in an empathetic way, gives people
insight into other people's pain and real emotions," she said.
"It's almost like instead of the artifice of movies we prefer the real
emotion of Maryanne or Bob or whomever."
Ms Demy-Geroe says documentary film-makers are becoming more skilled
at relating to audiences without manipulating.
"I mean a film like My Flesh and Blood [which screens at BIFF] is the
most incredible story. It's about a woman who adopts 11 or 12 severely
handicapped children and it's completely uplifting. As you watch it
you're amazed by her spirit and the spirit of her children," she said.
"I guess that documentaries are probably, instead of being those kind
of didactic things that tell us about another country, I think there's
just a change in the way that they're presented so people can relate
to them, instead of just satisfying a bit of curiosity they can
actually emotionally engage with them."
Dr Johnson-Wood says Michael Moore in particular has tapped into a
style that strikes a chord with viewers.
"He's not glamorous, he's not attractive in the filmic sense of the
word, he's just simply a man on a mission," she said.
"His technique is to present as, look I don't really understand this,
can you explain this to me? And so he acts as us -- everyman -- asking
George W Bush questions or [as he did in Bowling for Columbine] asking
Wal-Mart to stop selling bullets."
She says his success gives viewers a sense of empowerment.
"Aussies are consuming his documentaries like crazy so he's obviously
hit on something that we're willing to spend dollars to go and see,"
she said.
"So I think the film-makers are being made more aware of a different
style being popular -- they've captured the public's imagination."
Ms Fiske says a lot of people don't like Moore's style, but it works.
"The humour, that 'bumbling idiot' [persona] -- people really love him.
It works and it makes people think," she said.
She says as a result documentaries are becoming more innovative and
entertaining.
"Directors are thinking a little bit differently. There's more merging
of doco and drama, there's a lot more doco elements in drama as well
now, and vice versa, like using interesting ways of getting the info
across in entertaining ways," she said.
* The home front
Ms Fiske says successful documentaries from overseas should help
Aussie film-makers fund their projects.
"Because they're out there and they're in cinemas and they're doing
really well, and docos are smaller budget so if they make a little bit
of money out there then they usually can pay back the money they've
got from the Aussie Film Commission," she said.
"But there's a percentage of money the AFC puts aside for doco and
sometimes that changes, goes up and down and I'm sure, depending on
what happens in the fiction/feature category there may be more money
for docos because of what's happening.
"I'm hoping it will and I'm hoping the television stations will do the
same. In fact Storyline on SBS is doing really well. The audience has
been growing."
Dr Johnson-Wood says the Michael Moore-style social commentary
documentary will come and go, depending on world events.
"I think we've just developed a really nice genre that shows a sort of
awareness of political issues, social/political issues and I think
we'll find probably every so often when something happens, this genre
will re-emerge," she said.
"I think what's going to be interesting is to see how the audience
spot those authentic moments, because they're becoming cleverer and
they don't believe in reality tv so they're going to start to not
believe in documentary ... so it'll be interesting to see how film
audiences become more and more cynical, as tv audiences have."
Ms Demy-Geroe says if the current popularity of documentaries is
merely a fad, it will die out within 2 y.
"I guess what I would like to hope is that long-term the genre will
remain popular, but I don't know," she said.
"But I do think there's an increased popularity, that people are more
aware of documentary and that those who wouldn't necessarily have gone
to things like that in the past are going to see them.
"In the long term it's what people really want to see that will
determine if it continues."
Polish troops may switch from Iraq to Afghanistan
Kabul (Daily Times/AP). Poland could send troops to Afghanistan as
part of a planned pullback from Iraq, PM Marek Belka said Mon, but not
in time to boost security for milestone Oct elections here.
Poland plans to cut its troop levels in Iraq from about 2,400 to
between 1,000 and 1,500 by Jan. There are only about a dozen Poles
with the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
After talks with Afghan Pres Hamid Karzai, Belka said internat'l missions
in Iraq and Afghanistan were "equally important, equally difficult."
"I would imagine the situation, when needed, that we could relocate
some of our people here," Belka told reporters. "But it's a matter of
the future, not immediate decisions." He didn't elaborate.
NATO is currently expanding its 6,400-strong peacekeeping force to
some 8,700 in the run-up to Afghanistan's first-ever direct
presidential election on Oct 9.
Spain, which pulled all its soldiers out of Iraq in Apr, plans to
increase its contingent in Afghanistan from about 140 to 1,000 before
the vote. European countries including France, Sweden and the Netherlands
are also sending more soldiers, while Canada is slashing its presence
after 6 m in command.
The bulk of the NATO force will remain in Kabul, but contingents are
also deploying to N cities as part of a longer-term plan to stabilise
the country.
Some 17,000 US-led troops in Afghanistan are focused on the insurgency
plagued S and east. Belka said Poland's contribution in Iraq, where it
commands a 17-nation stabilisation force, had allowed NATO partners
such as Germany to send more forces to Afghanistan.
He said security had improved markedly in Afghanistan, and encouraged
Poles to invest. "This is a country to come to make business, to
help," he said.
Last of Philippine troops leave Iraq
Kuwait (AFP). A convoy of Philippine troops has crossed into Kuwait
from Iraq after Manila said the last of the contingent's 34 members
were due to leave in an attempt to save the life of a hostage. A
convoy of 6 pick-up trucks was drove down a military road towards
Kuwait, an AFP correspondent on the scene reported. It was not
immediately clear though whether all remaining 34 members of the
Philippine contingent were travelling in this convoy as Philippines
officials in Baghdad refused to comment. Earlier Foreign Secretary
Delia Albert said: "This last component of the humanitarian contingent
began their journey out of Iraq this morning, when they left their
quarters in Babil province." "Before the end of the day, all members
of the Philippine humanitarian contingent will be out of Iraq."
US probing possible Iran role in Sep 11 -- Bush
Washington (AFP). US Pres George W Bush said that the US was
investigating whether Iran played any role in the Sep 11, 2001
attacks, amid CIA skepticism of an official link.
"As to direct connections with Sep 11, we're digging into the facts to
determine if there was one," Bush said as he met with Chilean Pres
Ricardo Lagos in the Oval Office.
His comments came after the acting director of the US Central Intel
Agency said at least 8 of the hijackers who carried out the attacks
passed through Iran but that Washington had no proof that Tehran
backed the strikes.
"McLaughlin said there was no direct connection between Iran and the
attacks of Sep 11. We will continue to look and see if the Iranians
were involved," said Bush.
The US president, who 2 y ago lumped Iran with Iraq and N Korea in an
"axis of evil," also urged Tehran to give up its alleged quest for
nuclear weapons and cut off any support for groups Washington has
branded terrorists.
"They've got to stop funding terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah
that create great dangers in parts of the world," said Bush, who
branded the Islamic republic a "totalitarian society" with a poor
human rights record.
Bush also said Iran, a US-designated state sponsor of terrorism, was
"harbouring al-Qaeda leadership" and demanded that those members of
Osama bin Laden's terrorist network be handed over to their country of origin.
And Bush took a hard line on Iran's atomic ambitions, saying: "They've
got a nuclear weapons program that they need to dismantle.
We're working with other countries to encourage them to do so."
Washington has long dismissed Tehran's contention that it is pursuing
a civilian nuclear power program, saying that the oil-rich country is
using those efforts as a cover for a weapons program.
McLaughlin's comments on Sun were the 1st official confirmation of
leaked accounts from the final report of the official inquiry into the
2001 attacks that killed 3,000 people, which is due to be released Thu.
Iran has said that suspected al-Qaeda members involved in the attacks
may have passed through its territory, but insisted they would have
done so "illegally".
"We have very long borders and it is impossible to totally control them,"
foreign ministry rep Hamid Reza Asefi told reporters in Tehran on Sun.
"It is natural that 5 or 6 people could have crossed our borders
illegally without us seeing them," he insisted. "The same thing
happens on the border between the US and Mexico."
Iran condemned the 2001 attacks, but has often been accused of
harbouring al-Qaeda members. In Feb, Spain's top anti-terror judge,
Baltasar Garzon, alleged that al-Qaeda had a "board of managers"
operating in Iran.
Time and Newsweek, in similar reports quoting congressional, commission
and govt sources, have reported that Iran relaxed border controls and
provided "clean" passports for the so-called "muscle hijackers" to
transit Iran to and from bin Laden's camps between Oct 2000 and Feb 2001.
The commission's report says Iran at one point proposed collaborating
with al-Qaeda on attacks against America, but bin Laden declined,
saying he did not want to alienate his supporters in Saudi Arabia,
according to Time.
Newsweek said the Iranian finding in the commission's report is based
largely on a Dec 2001 memo discovered buried in the files of the US
Nat'l Security Agency.
The memo, according to Newsweek, says "Iranian border inspectors were
instructed not to place stamps in the passports of al-Qaeda fighters
from Saudi Arabia who were travelling from bin Laden's camps through Iran."
US continues to investigate Iran terrorist claims
Washington (ABC, John Shovelan). United States Pres George W Bush
says his Govt is still examining whether Iran might have had a role in
the terrorist attacks of Sep 11, 2001. Pres Bush left open the
possibility Iran may have had some role in the attacks. "We will
continue to look and see if the Iranians were involved," he said. He
noted the CIA had already discounted that Iran had played a direct
role. Focus has shifted to possible Iranian links because the 9/11
commission report due out this wk is expected to link Al Qaeda closer
to Iran than Iraq.
Bashir trial within a month: Indonesia
Jakarta (AAP). Radical Muslim cleric and suspected Jemaah Islamiyah
spiritual leader Abu Bakar Bashir will face trial within a month,
authorities said.
A rep for Indonesia's A-G's office said Bashir would soon be
transferred from police custody at Jakarta Police HQ and placed under
the jurisdiction of the attorney.
"Our prosecutors are now drafting charges against Bashir while waiting
for the police to hand him over to us," Kemas Yahya Rahman told the
Jakarta Post.
"Usually by this stage, we will bring a suspect to court within a month."
Bashir's lawyer Adnan Wirawan said the legal team had yet to be
formally advised when the trial, which could end in the death penalty
for the 65-yo, will begin.
"It will be held soon in the S Jakarta district court," he said.
Kemas refused to say what charges the prosecutors would present
against Bashir, who has been accused of links to terrorist attacks
across Indonesia since 1999, including the Bali bombings and the
attack on the Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, which together killed 214 people.
But investigators are expected to base their case on evidence from
jailed JI members in Indonesia and overseas to prove Bashir was the
emir, or leader, or JI.
Some of that evidence would include a report from JI's secret
"military academy" in the S Philippines sent to Bashir along with a
letter from the training camp governor Hafid Ibrahim al Mustofa, alias
Abu Tolud.
Other documents allege Bashir inducted JI militants at a passing out
parade at the Hudaibiyah camp in the Philippines in Apr 2000.
Police named Bashir as terrorist suspect on Apr 16 and charged him
under 4 sections of the anti-terrorism laws related to planning,
aiding and perpetrating terrorist attacks.
A previous attempt to convict him last y failed amid allegations of
police blunders.
Instead, he was sentenced to prison for minor immigration offences and
document forgery.
Bashir was rearrested in Apr after serving 18 months in jail,
triggering riots among his supporters and clashes with police.
Bashir has always denied links to terrorism and claims he is being
victimised because he campaigns for Islamic law in Indonesia.
He has accused Indonesia's govt of bowing to pressure from the US and
AUS for a new trial.
W Nile strikes early, hits W harder than rest
Atlanta (USA Today). The number of people infected with W Nile virus
so far this summer is far ahead of last y's pace -- an ominous sign
that this y could be even worse than the record-setting 2003, when
nearly 10,000 illnesses were reported.
Already, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting
108 cases of W Nile, including 3 deaths.
Another case, NY's 1st this y, is not yet included in the latest CDC figures.
Last y at this time there had been just 5 cases.
"We have many more cases reported to us early in the season," says
Lyle Petersen, director of the CDC's Fort Collins, Colo, division.
"What that suggests to me is there is certainly the potential to have an
outbreak this y that is of equal or greater magnitude to last y," he said.
Since 1st appearing in NY in 1999, W Nile virus has spread coast to
coast, resulting in more cases each year. In 2003, nearly 3,000 cases
reported were in Colorado, but this y the virus has moved further
west. Arizona has 66 cases, and California 20.
"Typically, we see very low levels of activity until the middle of
Jul, when suddenly the activity increases dramatically, and it tends
to peak in the beginning and middle of Aug," Petersen says.
"So, seeing so many cases in California and Arizona this early is a
bit of a concern."
* 'Your body aches all over'
As the CDC's lead expert on W Nile virus, Petersen speaks with
authority when he urges people to take precautions against the
mosquito-borne disease by, among other things, wearing insect repellent.
But, he confesses, one night last summer, he failed to heed his own
advice. He dashed out to the mailbox after work, thinking he'd be just
a minute, so he didn't use bug spray. "But I ran into a neighbour and
we started talking," he says. They chatted about half an hour. "We
knew we were getting bitten, and that's why we moved indoors."
Alas, too late. "3 days later, both my neighbour and I got W Nile
virus," he says.
They got W Nile fever, which is usually called the "mild" form to
distinguish it from "neuroinvasive disease," the type that involves
the central nervous system, causing encephalitis [brain swelling],
meningitis [inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and
spinal cord], paralysis and sometimes death. Many of the 2,866 people
who suffered the more serious form of W Nile infection last y were
left with long-term neurological problems, such as difficulty walking
or impaired memory, and 264 people died.
Even the mild form, W Nile fever, is no joke, Petersen says. "I was in
bed for about 5 days, just feeling horrible, and I didn't get back
to normal for about 3 more weeks" because of lingering tiredness.
"It's not a pleasant thing," he says. "Your body aches all over, you
have headaches, eye pain, rash and fatigue."
Still, most people infected with W Nile never have any symptoms at
all. The CDC estimates one in 150 people who are infected develop
severe disease, and 20% of those infected get W Nile fever.
* Other viruses could hit
It's "not the most virulent virus in the world, but the importance of
W Nile is that it happened," says Duane Gubler, director of the Uni of
Hawaii's Asia-Pacific Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease.
"The fact that an exotic virus from Africa can be introduced into the
US and become established tells us that we're probably at high risk
for other viruses to be introduced, and the next one may not be so
benign," says Gubler, a former director at the CDC.
That risk underscores the need for strong local mosquito-control
programs, he says. "There has to be a way to finance it long-term.
It can't be in response to an epidemic," Gubler says. That means an
"integrated approach, understanding what mosquitoes are there, where
they're breeding, the climate, water management, and then judicial use
of pesticides."
There is no drug to treat W Nile and no vaccine to prevent it in people,
though several companies are trying to develop one. Much remains
unknown about the virus, and it's impossible to predict where it will
hit hardest this y, Petersen says.
"We're entering peak W Nile season, so the risk is going to be rapidly
increasing in coming weeks," he says. "People really need to take
precautions. Everybody can learn from my mistake."
Top cmdrs in Iraq allowed dogs to be used
Washington (USA Today). US military cmdrs in Iraq authorised the use
of dogs for interrogations at the Abu Ghraib prison 5 m after Def
Sec Donald Rumsfeld barred the practice for terrorism suspects at
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to classified military documents.
Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez, then the US cmdr in Iraq, allowed dogs to be
present during interrogations beginning Sep 14, 2003.
In an update of his order a m later, Sanchez allowed dogs to be used
at the discretion of interrogators without his specific approval,
according to classified documents obtained by USA TODAY.
It was in the next 2 m that abuses at Abu Ghraib were documented,
including use of dogs to terrify naked prisoners.
In Apr 2003, Rumsfeld had issued an order banning the use of dogs during
interrogations at the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a technique
he had allowed there previously. But Rumsfeld's order applied only to
Guantanamo, so cmdrs in Iraq were not told about the restriction.
As cmdr in a war zone, Sanchez had the authority to establish interrogation
rules in Iraq without consulting Rumsfeld. Pentagon officials say they
did not know that rules for Abu Ghraib differed from Rumsfeld's order
for Guantanamo until photographs were leaked to the news media that
showed naked Iraqi prisoners cowering before snarling dogs.
"Interrogation policy for Iraq and Gitmo were developed on separate
tracks," Pentagon rep Bryan Whitman says. Policies for Guantanamo, or
"Gitmo" as it is called in the military, were developed by the US S
Command and reviewed by Rumsfeld as they involved suspected terrorists
not covered by the Geneva Conventions because they were not soldiers
fighting for a specific country. Interrogation rules for Iraq were
developed by field cmdrs without Rumsfeld's involvement, Whitman said.
Use of dogs in Iraq after Rumsfeld banned the practice at Guantanamo
shows an inconsistency in policies governing behaviour by enlisted
guards at Abu Ghraib in Oct and Nov 2003.
On Fri, the Pentagon announced that Rumsfeld has ordered the creation
of an Office of Detainee Affairs to oversee management of
prisoners. Ryan Henry, principal deputy undersecretary of Defense for
policy, says handling of matters related to prisoners has been
"somewhat disparate and spread out" among various military commands.
Sanchez has testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that he
never approved a request for permission to use dogs in an
interrogation. But his rule said his permission was not required. In
an Oct 12, 2003, memo to prison cmdrs and military intel officials,
Sanchez wrote, "Should military working dogs be present during
interrogations, they will be muzzled and under control of a handler at
all times to ensure safety." The memo contains no requirement that
Sanchez or any snr officer be consulted in advance. There was no
requirement that dogs be muzzled outside of interrogation rooms.
Despite the language of Sanchez's Oct 12 memo, Whitman said dogs were
not allowed in interrogation rooms in Iraq after that date. Lt Col
Kevin Gainer, a rep for Sanchez, said the general, who has been
reassigned to Europe, was not available for comment.
Gainer said, "Soldiers are not allowed to make comments to the media"
about abuse of prisoners.
Army Col Thomas Pappas, who headed the military intel brigade running
interrogations at Abu Ghraib, told an Army investigator early this y
that interrogators and translators told him, " 'It's not very
intimidating if they're muzzled.' And my response to that was, 'Well,
then don't use them. Find another way.'"
Guards and interrogators at Abu Ghraib un-muzzled dogs for use outside
interrogation rooms, such as during shakedowns and cell searches,
according to testimony in the Army's investigation of abuse. Investigation
documents indicate there was widespread fear of guard dogs among
inmates. The investigation found at least 2 instances of dogs biting
prisoners, one resulting in serious injury.
The fact that top US cmdrs in Iraq explicitly authorised use of dogs
in interrogations under-cuts claims by the Pentagon and field cmdrs
that the mistreatment was solely the work of guards who abused their
authority. On the other hand, the testimony indicates that some
episodes involving dogs violated safeguards put in place by cmdrs in
Iraq to protect inmates from being bitten and to ensure that dogs were
always under control of their handlers.
If Abu Ghraib officials thought they were evading laws against torture
by using dogs outside of formal interrogation rooms, they were
mistaken, said Dinah Pokempner, an attorney with Human Rights Watch,
an internat'l organisation. "Torture can happen anywhere," she said.
Internat'l laws on torture and the treatment of prisoners of war do
not discuss use of dogs. In general, prisoners are protected from
being threatened with death or bodily harm to extract info.
Before the Abu Ghraib scandal, the US govt had condemned the use of
dogs on prisoners in other countries. The State Dept's 2003 report on
human rights violations condemned Libya for dog attacks on prisoners.
Marine who disappeared in Iraq says he was captured, did not desert post
Quantico, VA (AP). Cpl Wassef Ali Hassoun, the Marine who disappeared
under mysterious circumstances while on duty in Iraq, insisted on Mon
that he was captured by insurgents and that he is still a loyal Marine.
"I did not desert my post," he told reporters outside Quantico Marine
Corps Base. "I was captured and held against my will by anti-coalition
forces for 19 days. This was a very difficult and challenging time for me."
He did not answer any questions during his brief appearance.
He was joined by his brother, who arrived from Utah.
"I would like to tell all the Marines as well as all those others
serving in Iraq to keep their heads up and spirits high. Once a
Marine, always a Marine, Semper Fi," Hassoun said, invoking the Marine
Corps motto, Latin for "always faithful."
Marine rep Lt Col Dave Lapan said the Marine Corps was not in a
position to confirm or refute Hassoun's claim.
Hassoun, 24, of W Jordan, Utah, disappeared Jun 20 from his base nr
the troubled Iraqi city of Fallujah and turned up unharmed at the US
Embassy in Beirut on Jul 8. It remains unclear how he travelled from
Iraq to Lebanon, where he was born and still has some relatives.
On Jun 27, Arab TV showed a videotape of a blindfolded
Hassoun, a sword hanging over his head. At one point during his
disappearance, a group claiming to represent his captors announced
that he had been beheaded after being lured from the base by a love affair.
The military is investigating whether the reported kidnapping was a
hoax and whether the Muslim Hassoun deserted his unit.
Hassoun is in the midst of what the Marines call a "repatriation
process" in which he is debriefed and given time to decompress and
avoid the media spotlight, officials said.
Hassoun arrived at Quantico on Fri after 6 days of medical evaluation
at a military hospital in Germany. In the coming days, he will leave
Quantico for Camp Lejeune, NC, his home base, Lapan said. He will
continue the repatriation process there, Lapan said.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is not expected to question
Hassoun until his repatriation procedure is completed, the Marine
Corps said.
Lapan said the Marine Corps reviewed Hassoun's statement and made no changes.
Marine officials said it may be wk or m before Hassoun returns to
active duty.
Sens want to know more on 'ghost' detainees
Washington (USA Today). The chairman of the Senate Armed Services
Committee called Thu for Congress to examine lingering questions about
the abuse of detainees in Iraq and elsewhere by US forces, including the
practice of keeping secret the whereabouts and identities of some prisoners.
Sen John Warner, R-Va, said lawmakers expressed concerns about such
"ghost" detainees during a closed briefing Thu that included a review
of reports by the Internat'l Committee of the Red Cross.
US officials have acknowledged that the names of some detainees captured
by military and intel forces during the war on terrorism have not been
logged in official records. In some cases, they say, keeping secret
the locations or names of detainees has been crucial to gathering intel.
But the Red Cross fears that the practice could result in the abuse of
detainees and make it impossible to monitor the conditions in which
they're held. It has called on US officials to account for any ghost
detainees and make them available for interviews about their
treatment. Armed Services Committee members say they want more info
from the Bush Admin on the issue, and others related to the abuse
scandal at the Abu Ghraib prison nr Baghdad.
Concerns about ghost detainees also are raised in sworn statements
that are among more than 6,000 pages of still-classified documents
about misconduct at Abu Ghraib.
The documents, obtained by USA TODAY, indicate that several military
officers at Abu Ghraib raised questions about ghost detainees there.
The detainees typically were brought to the prison by CIA personnel,
who would skip the prisoner-registration process, the records
say. After a few days of interrogation, the captives would be moved to
other, undisclosed locations, according to statements by 2 Army
officers who questioned the practice.
The documents were submitted to the Pentagon and Congress in Apr as
supplements to a report by Maj Gen Antonio Taguba on abuse at Abu Ghraib.
A transcript in the report indicates that Army Lt Col Steven Jordan, a
snr officer at the prison, told investigators that he had pushed for
some sort of official documentation of ghost detainees. Military
police officers, who were responsible for guarding prisoners at Abu
Ghraib, said, "Hey, we can't be responsible for them if they don't
exist," Jordan said.
The documents quote Jordan as saying there was a verbal "agreement"
between the CIA agents and the military intel officer in charge of the
prison, Col Thomas Pappas. Jordan said Pappas once told him to hide
ghost detainees before a Red Cross team came to inspect the prison.
On Thu, Warner's panel was updated about several Defense Dept
investigations into the abuses. Warner said he learned of new
instances of possible mistreatment of detainees. "Each day that comes
along, new incidents" are revealed, he said.
Among other questions raised by the supplements to the Taguba report:
How much pressure top Whitehouse and Pentagon officials put on
military intel officers to get info from Iraqi detainees. A sworn
statement by the military intel officer who over-saw interrogations
mentioned a visit by an aide to nat'l security adviser Condoleezza
Rice. But Taguba asked for no details of the visit.
Whether a translator and another soldier had sexual intercourse with
detainees. Sworn statements suggest both might have raped prisoners.
No one has been charged with rape.
"There are some serious crimes here," committee member Lindsey Graham,
R-SC, said this wk. "The command culture that led to this has to be
addressed."
The documents, which make up the 106 attachments to Taguba's report,
include transcripts of dozens of interrogations. They show that Taguba
stuck closely to his charge: to investigate whether military police
acting as prison guards had been properly taught how to treat
prisoners, and whether the guards were supervised properly.
7 soldiers have been charged with misconduct. Some have said they were
told by military intel officers to "soften up" prisoners for interrogations.
Besides Taguba's inquiry, the Pentagon has launched 5 other
investigations into abuses at Abu Ghraib, including probes into the
role of military intel officers and a broader look at US treatment of
all detainees in Iraq. The Army also is investigating allegations of
prisoner abuse and suspicious prisoner deaths.
An Army inspector general report on the treatment of detainees in Iraq
is likely to be completed this m. Another Army probe into the role
military intel played in abuse at Abu Ghraib is due this summer.
Egyptian hostage freed, Filipino's fate unknown
Baghdad (AFP). An Egyptian held hostage in Iraq has been released but
the fate of a Filipino hostage remains uncertain.
An Egyptian diplomat confirmed the release of Sayed Mohammed Sayed Al
Garbawi, a fuel tanker driver who was abducted in early Jul when he
was crossing into Iraq from Saudi Arabia.
"He is with me and we are heading to the embassy now," Mohammed Mamduh
Kotb, counsellor at Egypt's interests section in Baghdad told AFP.
"He is in good health."
Mr Kotb refused to say whether a ransom was paid to secure the freedom
of Mr Garbawi after his Saudi employer had announced on Fri that it
would end all its activities in Iraq as demanded by the kidnappers.
Egyptian Foreign Min Ahmed Abul Gheit welcomed Mr Garbawi's release,
voicing hope it would be "the end of such regrettable incidents
against innocent civilians".
Initially the militant group holding Mr Garbawi had demanded a $1 mn
ransom but his employer offered $15,000 instead.
A group calling itself the Khaled bin Al Walid Brigade, affiliated to
the Iraq Islamic Army, claimed responsibility for the abduction, one
of a spate over the past m.
The same group had also claimed it was holding a truck driver from the
Philippines and threatened to behead him unless Manila withdrew its
troops from Iraq by Jul 20, one m earlier than scheduled.
The Philippines carried out their demands on Mon as the last 34
members of its tiny 51-member contingent left Iraq one m ahead of
schedule in an attempt to save the life of father of 8 Angelo de la Cruz.
"All the troops have left today from Iraq to Kuwait on the way to the
Philippines," said a snr official from Manila who is in Baghdad as
part of a team helping to negotiate the man's release.
Manila went ahead with its decision despite sharp rebukes from Iraq
and the US which fear a backlash of new hostage-taking.
Manila is the 5th country to withdraw its troops from the US-led
forces in Iraq earlier than planned, following Spain, the Dominican
Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua.
But Bulgaria, with 470 troops in the country, has vowed to stay the
course despite the beheading of one of its nat'ls taken hostage in the
N and the uncertain fate of another one.
The 2nd hostage has been identified as Ivailo Kepov.
The Qatar-based Arabic TV station Al Jazeera said last wk that
the 1st hostage, Georgy Lazov, had been beheaded and showed a short
video clip of him before his execution.
Mr Lazov and Mr Kepov, both truck drivers, were kidnapped nr Mosul on
Jul 8 by a group called the Tawhid wal Jihad [Unity and Holy War],
linked to wanted Islamic militant Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi.
Sofia admitted it was powerless to carry out the demands of the
abductors who want the US military to release the estimated 5,000
Iraqi prisoners held in US-run detention centres.
Egyptian hostage freed in Iraq
Filipino troops leave to placate kidnappers of truck driver
Baghdad (AP/Boston Globe). An Egyptian truck driver held captive for
2 wk by insurgents in Iraq was freed Mon, just hours after the
Philippines withdrew the last of its 51 peacekeepers in a bid to save
the life of a Filipino man held by a different group.
Insurgents have kidnapped several foreigners working in Iraq in an
effort to force out coalition forces and the foreign workers helping them.
Alsayeid Mohammed Alsayeid Algarabawi, whose capture was 1st reported
Jul 6 in a video showing him surrounded by masked gunmen, was brought
to the Egyptian Embassy in Baghdad on Mon evening. He appeared healthy.
Algarabawi said he was fed well, allowed to pray and treated in "an
Islamic manner, 100%." He also apologised to his family for worrying them.
Upon hearing of his release, Algarabawi's wife, Laila, ululated in joy
and his family burst into celebration.
"We are partying downstairs," his out-of-breath son, Essam, said from
their home in the Nile Delta town of Zagazig, 65 km NE of Cairo.
Algarabawi's captors, who called themselves the Iraqi Legitimate
Resistance, never threatened to harm him but made a series of demands
on his Saudi company, including asking for $1 mn ransom and insisting
it stop doing business in Iraq.
The Al-Jarie Transport company refused to pay the ransom but agreed to
end its business in Iraq, said Faisal al-Naheet, a subcontractor
speaking on behalf of the firm.
As Algarabawi walked free, Philippine officials waited for word on the
fate of truck driver Angelo dela Cruz. Kidnappers holding dela Cruz
demanded the Manila govt pull its 51 peacekeepers from Iraq earlier
than their scheduled Aug 20 departure or else they would kill him.
The govt complied in phases, with the last soldiers driving into
neighbouring Kuwait at about 5 pm Mon. The troops smiled and waved as
they drove away.
"Bye, bye!" one yelled out the window.
Earlier, the troops made an "exit call" on the Polish cmdr at their base
in Hillah, S of Baghdad, and lowered the Philippine flag at their quarters.
"We have fulfilled our commitment, and so it's their turn to fulfil
their promise. We are waiting," a Philippine official said on
condition of anonymity.
Manila's decision to withdraw soldiers early was criticised by some
coalition members, including the US and AUS, who argued that
capitulating to kidnappers endangered other troops here.
"We are very disappointed that govts choose to withdraw their troops
because all this does is confirm [to] the terrorists that terrorism
works," said Rend al-Rahim Francke, the head of Iraq's diplomatic
mission in the US.
Dela Cruz's family in the N Philippine province of Pampanga was
overjoyed at the withdrawal and urged the kidnappers to free him.
"I'm happy because they have pulled out and my son could now be freed.
That would be a consolation for me and my village-mates because we have
been losing sleep," dela Cruz's father, Feliciano, told Associated
Press TV News.
Egyptian For Min Ahmed Aboul Gheit thanked all those who worked for
Algarabawi's release.
"We hope this is the end of such regrettable events that innocent
civilians are subjected to," he said.
In response to the kidnapping, Egypt advised its citizens to stop
seeking work in Iraq. Algarabawi said his captors were "sending a
message to any Arab driver who comes to Iraq."
He said he was initially treated roughly but his situation improved over time.
"The threats, like the pushing ... and the raising of weapons, was
during the 1st days," he told APTN.
Algarabawi also denied the militants' claim he was transporting cargo
for US forces in Iraq.
"I was hauling diesel from the Arab Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was
headed to Iraq to offload at storage terminals in Latifiya, for our
brothers, the Iraqis," he told APTN. "We did not have Americans with us.
I didn't even see Americans. The security who was with me was Iraqi, 100%."
Blast kills at least 9 in Iraq
Baghdad (Reuters). A suicide bomber has blown up a fuel truck nr a
Baghdad police station, killing at least 9 people, wounding 62 and
destroying cars and buildings.
The Philippines said it had completed the withdrawal of its
humanitarian military contingent in Iraq a m ahead of schedule in a
bid to save the life of hostage Angelo de la Cruz, a father of 8 who
guerrillas have threatened to execute.
The pull-out has been criticised by Washington and by Iraq's interim
govt, which said Manila was bowing to terrorists.
The Baghdad attack was the latest of at least 5 suicide bombings over
the past wk aimed at Iraqi police, Nat'l Guard or snr members of
Iraq's new govt which have killed more than 35 Iraqis in a seemingly
accelerated campaign.
Iraq's Health Min'y said it had so far recorded 9 dead and 62
wounded but expected its death toll to rise. It said bodies were still
being brought to hospitals and boxes of remains had yet to be sifted through.
At the scene of the blast, US Army Lt Col Bill Salter said between 10
and 15 people had been killed in an attack he said was probably
carried out by a suicide bomber.
"We believe it was possibly a fuel-truck type vehicle," Salter told
reporters. Witnesses said they saw a fuel tanker racing towards the
police station moments before the explosion.
Reuters TV pictures showed flames still licking the wreckage of
burnt-out cars an hour after the blast, and smoke rising from
smoldering buildings. Bystanders gathered up the body parts of the
dead, filling several boxes with remains.
In the latest assassination of snr bureaucrats, Defence Min'y
official Issam Jassem Qassim was shot dead outside his home by 3
gunmen late on Sun, a ministry rep said, a day after a failed attempt
on the life of Iraq's justice minister which killed 5 bodyguards.
In S Iraq a Brit helicopter crashed, killing one of the crew and
wounding 2, Brit's Defence Min said.
* WAVE OF VIOLENCE
The suicide bomb was detonated shortly after 8 am, as people were
arriving at work. Car workshops across the road from the police
station bore the brunt of the blast, witnesses said, and several
people working there were killed.
"Those who were standing in the open were killed. Those who saw it
were killed," said car workshop worker Laith Abdel Karim.
It was the latest in a series of suicide attacks in recent days. A car
bomb outside the HQ of the US military and the Iraqi interim govt in
Baghdad last wk killed 11 people and another outside an Iraqi Nat'l
Guard garrison 200 km NW of Baghdad killed 10.
A suicide bomber tried to assassinate Iraq's justice minister on Sat
and the governor of the N Nineveh province was assassinated in an
attack on his convoy last wk.
Insurgents often target the police and the Nat'l Guard, accusing them
of collaborating with the US military. One Nat'l Guardsman at the
scene of Mon's bombing was angered by that charge.
"They say we collaborate with the coalition. We don't collaborate, we
just protect our nation. We protect the land of Iraqis," Amer Shaker
Mehdi said.
* PHILIPPINE PULLOUT
A official at the Philippine embassy in Kuwait said 34 soldiers left
their base in Iraq on Mon 11 were withdrawn last wk. A few Filipino
soldiers are expected to remain in Baghdad to protect the Philippine embassy.
Insurgents are also holding an Egyptian truck driver and perhaps a
Bulgarian. One kidnapped Bulgarian has already been killed and hopes
are fading for the other. An Egyptian embassy official said he hoped
the Egyptian would be released Mon.
But as hopes grew for the release of the Filipino and the Egyptian, it
emerged that a Turkish driver had been killed and another was missing
and feared kidnapped following an attack on their fuel-truck convoy nr
Mosul on Sat.
Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group Tawhid and Jihad,
believed to be behind the kidnapping of the Bulgarians, has already
killed an American and a S Korean hostage.
Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for many of the deadliest car
bombings in Iraq and is the US military's prime target in the country,
with a $25 mn price on his head.
Early on Sun, the US military conducted air strikes against a suspected
Zarqawi safe house in the restive town of Fallujah W of Baghdad,
killing 11. The strikes were authorised by Iraq's interim PM Iyad Allawi.
Zarqawi, who Washington says is allied to al Qaeda, has pledged to
kill Allawi and on Sun a group linked to him offered a reward of
$282,000 for the PM's death, according to a notice on an Islamist Web
site. Allawi was on a visit to Jordan on Mon.
Snr Iraqi official assassinated
Baghdad (AFP). A snr official at Iraq's defence ministry has been
shot dead in Baghdad in the latest attack against the new Admin 3 wk
after the transfer of sovereignty.
"One of the director generals in the Ministry of Defence, Issam Jassem
Kadhem, was assassinated on Sun at 10.00 pm [local] by unknown
attackers," defence ministry rep Radhi Badr told AFP.
The ambush occurred in the S Saydia neighbourhood where a truck bomb
exploded on Mon morning.
The assailants, driving an unmarked white car, made a hasty getaway
after gunning Kadhem down in a hail of bullets, said the rep.
Mr Kadhem, one of about 25 director-generals at the newly
re-established defence ministry, was the latest in a long line of
high-profile figures targeted in the unrest that bred during the
US-led occupation.
On Sat, Justice Min Malek Dohan al-Hasan, 83, emerged unscathed after
a suicide car bomber hit his motorcade in the Iraqi capital but 3 of
his guards, including a nephew, were killed along with 2 civilians.
Al Qaeda-linked militant Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi reportedly claimed
responsibility for the attack.
The Jordanian-born Zarqawi has also offered a $285,000 reward for the
death of Iraq's PM Iyad Allawi.
The premier's own offices and residence were targeted by mortar fire
in early Jul. The shells missed their target but injured 5 people nearby.
Insurgents have waged an assassination campaign against police, civil
servants and politicians in a bid to derail the new govt and the
country's US-led reconstruction efforts.
Rebels scored a direct hit last Wed as Mosul governor Ussama Kachmul
and 2 of his bodyguards were gunned down by 4 attackers while
travelling S to Baghdad.
In addition, the driver and a bodyguard of a snr finance ministry
official were killed in a roadside bombing in Baghdad on Jul 1, while
the official, Ihsan Karim Ghanem, and 2 others were wounded.
Jun was also a bloody m for Iraq's snr civil servants.
Kamal Jarrah, the director of cultural relations at Iraq's education
ministry, was gunned down in front of his home in Baghdad on Jun 13
one day after Iraq's deputy foreign minister, Bassam Kubba, was shot dead.
The attacks have deterred many qualified Iraqis from accepting new
positions of responsibility for fear of paying for the promotion with
their life.
Dr H S al-Dewachi recently told AFP that he opted against becoming Mosul
governor -- subsequently handed to the slain Kachmula -- because of the risk.
"I am a family man and I run a medical clinic so I cannot take such
risks with my life," he said.
Assailants kill Basra governor
Basra (AFP). The interim governor of the Iraqi S city of Basra, Hazem
al-Ainachi, was shot dead by unknown assailants as he was heading to
work, said his son. "My father was killed as he was leaving home at
about 8.00 am [1400 Z] when unknown gunmen fired at him from nr a
checkpoint that is 100 metres from our place," said Issam al-Ainachi.
"One of the guards was injured and the assailants fled."
Brit military helicopter crashes in Iraq, one dead
London (AFP). Brit's Defence Min Geoff Hoon said it was unlikely that
a Brit military helicopter that crashed in S Iraq killing one airman
had been shot down.
"It appears unlikely that hostile action was the case but it is too
soon to confirm any other details," Mr Hoon said.
One serviceman was killed and 2 others on board the Puma helicopter
were injured, not seriously, in the incident in Basra on Mon.
A Royal Air Force rep said it was not yet known how the incident happened.
"There will be an investigation to determine what caused this
incident," she said.
She confirmed that the 2 crew members also involved in the incident
had been given check-ups at a Basra hospital and are not seriously hurt.
Meanwhile in Ramadi an Iraqi nat'l guard and a civilian were shot
dead, a hospital official said.
"The body of a nat'l guardsman and a civilian were brought to the
hospital on Mon at the start of the evening," the official said.
"The rescue team with them indicated that unknown assailants opened
fire on the 2 men, killing them," he said.
There was no independent confirmation of the circumstances of the killings.
Meanwhile, police said an arms cache including 215 missiles and 194
mortar shells was discovered in the desert nr the S city of Najaff.
The holy Shiite city, a stronghold of Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr,
was the scene of a bloody confrontation between his Mehdi Army militia
and US troops earlier this y.
Iraq envoy expects better ties with Iran
Washington (AP). Iraq's new govt expects to have good relations with
neighbouring Iran despite Pres Bush's branding of Iran as part of an
"axis of evil," Iraq's top diplomat in the US said Mon.
Iran so far has had a positive role in Iraq, and the Iraqi govt
recently asked it to cooperate even more on security, including
sharing more intel, Rend al-Rahim Francke, chief of Iraq's diplomatic
mission in Washington, said in an interview with The AP.
Al-Rahim said she believes these overtures prompted Iran recently to
capture 200 Afghan fighters who were trying to enter Iraq from Iran.
She offered few details about the detentions, which had not been
previously known. Last week, Iraq's human rights minister said only
one Afghan was in custody -- one of 99 foreign fighters held in the
country.
The US has hostile relations with Iran, which it alleges supports
terrorism, harbours al-Qaeda members and is pursuing nuclear
weapons. On Mon, Bush said the US is exploring whether Iran had a role
in the Sep 11, 2001, attacks -- a scenario discounted by the CIA.
Al-Rahim rejected any suggestion that Iran supports terrorism in Iraq.
"It is not in Iran's interest for Iraq to be in turmoil," she said.
"If Iraq turns into a haven for terrorists, not only Iraq but all
countries in the region will be affected."
She said US officials have not told her of any misgivings about a growing
Iraq-Iran relationship. She noted the US is friendly with other nations
that have good relations with Iran, such as Pakistan and Afghanistan.
State Dept rep Richard Boucher said Iran has an obligation to support
stability, but "we all know that Iran continues to support and supply
terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas, that they are funnelling
weapons and money into the groups that are trying to sabotage the creation
of a Palestinian state and sabotage the creation of the peace process."
"Our view is that you cannot have it 2 ways," Boucher said. "You can't
say we want stability, but we are going to support terrorists."
Al-Rahim was a fixture in Washington diplomatic circles long before
she was appointed last y by the now-defunct Iraqi Governing
Council. She was a founder of the Iraqi Foundation, which pushed for
democracy during Saddam Hussein's rule. A native Iraqi who became a US
citizen, she holds graduate degrees from Cambridge University in
England and the Sorbonne university in Paris.
Her status is somewhat unclear. She does not hold the title of
ambassador, and Iraq's new interim govt did not include her among 43
new ambassadors named Mon in Baghdad.
2 of Iraq's neighbours, Iran and Syria, are expected to participate Wed
in a meeting in Cairo, Egypt, of foreign ministers of Iraq's neighbouring
states. Iraq is expected to raise the subject of foreign fighters
coming across its borders. Al-Rahim repeated complaints of Iraqi
officials that the US-led coalition has not paid enough attention to
securing the border.
She said Iraq wants "cooperation and good relations with all the
countries in the region."
As for multinat'l troops to monitor Iraq, she said Iraq prefers troops
from Muslim and other countries outside the region, such as Pakistan,
India, Bangladesh and Morocco. "There are too many interests and maybe
conflicting interests," al-Rahim said, to have neighbouring countries
join US-led forces.
She expressed disappointment that the Philippine govt is speeding up
the withdrawal of its troops to meet a demand by Iraqi insurgents who
have threatened to behead a Filipino hostage.
The action merely confirms to "terrorists that terrorism works," she
said. "That's all it does. It doesn't stop it."
On other matters, al-Rahim:
* Offered no specific estimate about how long US troops would remain
in Iraq and said she did not know whether Iraq would request more US
money for reconstruction.
* Said "networks in the region are supporting" terror acts inside
Iraq, but she said Iraqis also have been involved in terror. "If
there were no Iraqis supporting this, it couldn't flourish this much."
* Said the Iraqi govt recently wrote to leaders of the major
industrialised nations asking for a 95% abatement in Iraq's foreign
debt. Iraq's overall debt is about $120 bn.
* Criticised US treatment of Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi. Once
strongly supported by top Pentagon officials, Chalabi has fallen out
of favour. US officials say intel he provided on WMD proved faulty,
and some suspect he provided Iran with US intel. US soldiers and
Iraqi police raided his home and office in May, when he was on the
Iraqi Governing Council.
"I don't think any Iraqi citizen should be treated in that way, let
alone somebody who was on the highest Iraqi governing body at that
time," al-Rahim said.
* Said she has never met Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali
al-Husseini al-Sistani, who was born in Iran but is the most
influential Muslim figure in Iraq.
Baghdad real estate sizzles amid chaos
Baghdad (LA Times). On the E bank of the Tigris River, a house is for sale.
An ad for it might read something like this: 10-bedroom, 14 1/2-bath
riverfront beauty. Swimming pool, servants' quarters, secure parking
for 8 cars. Some bullet damage on 3rd floor. Spotty
electricity. Baghdad schools. Asking $4 mn.
In a nation with no mortgage lending, an estimated yearly per capita
income of $1,600 and deadly attacks daily, real estate prices in the
capital are flying high.
The unlikely flourishing of real estate is yet another example of how
postwar Baghdad doesn't live by the rules. People drive on the wrong
side of the street. No one stops at red lights. So why should chaos
and a future that is uncertain, to say the least, stop anyone from
dropping 6 or 7 figures -- cash -- on a house?
Wealthy Baghdadites, it seems, are as bullish as mn of Southern
Californians when it comes to property.
Listen to a Baghdad real estate agent these days, and you'll hear the
kind of blustery zeal familiar to anyone who's been pitched a $500,000
Altadena starter home.
"Real estate is the best investment you can make. No matter what
happened to Iraq in the past, nothing affected land values. Prices
will never go down," said Amarr Samir, a real estate broker in
Baghdad's up-scale Jadriya neighbourhood, just across the Tigris from
the heavily fortified Green Zone that houses the Iraqi govt and the
new US Embassy.
But just like their S California counterparts, many Iraqis who once
could afford modest houses are now priced out.
"A man who was going to get married used to be able to save for a few
years, maybe sell his car and scrape together enough to buy a
house. Now, it can only be a dream," Samir said.
There is some resentment of foreigners and former Iraqi exiles, who
are seen as "firing up prices. Some people are very angry," he said.
But for Samir, it's been a very good year. The fall of Pres Saddam
Hussein also toppled restrictions on those who had fled Iraq -- many
of whom were thriving professionals abroad -- and gave them a green
light to return as residents or investors.
Moneyed Iraqis who kept a low profile during the Hussein y or parked
their money in banks and investments abroad began to spend it in Iraq.
Almost immediately after the war, those with means snapped up
houses. And a lot of people, it turned out, had a lot of means.
"Sometimes prices doubled overnight," Samir said. "It's unbelievable."
Humam Shamaa, a Baghdad University economist, said that even under the
1990s economic embargo and Hussein's strictly controlled economy, a
privileged class of Iraqis amassed great wealth. They included
contractors for the govt, high-ranking officials and business people.
Shamaa estimates that 10% of the population holds 60% of the gross
domestic product.
For them, real estate has long been one of the few investment choices
in a nation with an undeveloped financial sector, and it was seen as a
safe harbour from the uncertain value of the Iraqi dinar.
The overthrow of Hussein gave the resident elite the confidence to
trade up to grander houses or break ground on mansions. The return of
wealthy exiles who hoped to take govt and business leadership roles --
people like the interim PM, Pres and many Cabinet members --
boosted the high-end housing market.
The hope that foreign firms will pour into Iraq once the violence
calms also keeps values up.
From this combination of factors arises the paradox of Baghdad real
estate: No one thinks Baghdad is a safe place to live, but plenty
believe that buying a house there is a safe investment.
A sprawling, low-rise city of roughly 5 mn, Baghdad has its share of
slums, including Sadr City, where militiamen battled US troops long
after the end of the war. But the city also has large middle-class
neighbourhoods of modest brick houses and modern apartment blocks built
by Hussein to house govt workers.
It also has wealthy pockets, where commercial streets are lined with
fashionable boutiques, opulent restaurants and stores filled with the
latest consumer electronics products and appliances from Japan, South
Korea, China and Turkey. High-end houses in these neighbourhoods are
often imposing 2- or 3-story structures behind high walls, with 5 to
10 bedrooms to accommodate multi-generational households.
Samir said that before the war, it was almost unheard of for a top-end
house to cost more than $700,000. Now, $mn houses abound in Baghdad's
handful of traditionally affluent neighbourhoods despite the
carjackings, robberies and gunfire that have become common since the
war. At the lower end, a small house or apartment that might have cost
$15,000 before the war could now fetch $120,000 to $150,000.
Samir said he has sold homes to returning Iraqis and wealthy Iraqi
business people. Some of his customers, he said, are hawasim, looters
who took part in the rampant plundering of govt buildings, banks,
Iraqi army bases and businesses after the war. After selling off their
booty, "now they have money to spend," he said.
Economist Shamaa said that looters may well be among those buying, but
that there was no way to measure such activity.
The market has slowed since Apr, when fighting between insurgents and
US troops broke out in the cities of Najaff and Fallujah and the pace
of car bombings, ambushes and assassinations picked up, observers say.
But even with softening sales, prices have not fallen, said Ihsan
Shamari, a real estate broker in Baghdad's posh Mansour neighbourhood.
Asked if prices would eventually fall if sales didn't pick up soon,
Shamari was adamant: "No way." With prices holding steady even in the
turmoil, he said, "all we need is a little stability, and they will
double or triple."
Shamaa said prices were not likely to fall dramatically, if at all, because
"holders of real estate do not want to sell. There will not be a
severe downturn."
The economist said undeveloped land was scarce in central Baghdad.
If security stabilises, the newly liberated economy could multiply
real estate prices "10 times in 2 to 3 y," he said.
Meanwhile, the rental market has taken up some of the slack in sales,
fuelled by the housing needs of foreign contractors, journalists and
returning Iraqis who either need a place while looking for a house or
want to test the waters before resettling in Baghdad. "To Let" signs
in English are all over Baghdad's pricier neighbourhoods. Real estate
brokers say rentals are moving even as some contractors have fled Iraq
or been killed and others have cancelled plans to work in the nation.
Baghdad lawyer Salah Jamil, 59, said he received 3 inquiries this y
from TV news networks interested in renting his 10-bedroom
house. The journalists were willing to pay $5,000 a m in rent, he
said, but he is considering a $1-mn offer to sell the house.
Jamil said he thought he could get more by holding on a few years, but
added: "I don't want to be greedy. I am satisfied with what I have. I
don't need much more in my life." He has lived in the house since it
was built 3 y ago. At the time, it was appraised at $250,000, he said.
Construction of ever more opulent houses, meanwhile, goes on with gusto.
Across the Tigris from Hussein's former palace, Ahmed Kazaz, 38, is
building a 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom house on land his family left vacant
for more than 25 y. "They didn't want you to build anything overlooking
the palace," Kazaz said of Hussein's govt. Even if they could have
built a house, he said, his family risked having it seized by a top
official who might fancy it for himself.
Kazaz said that after hiring a lawyer, his family finally got a
building permit in 2002. Even then, the family was told that there was
no guarantee the house would not be confiscated.
Now, Kazaz appears to be sparing no expense. His house will have
spiral staircases, central air conditioning, underground parking and a
swimming pool, he said.
Kazaz, who attended graduate school in Texas and runs a commercial
fish farm and chicken ranch, said that one reason he was building was
that there weren't many places to put one's money in Iraq. The stock
market has yet to reopen, and bonds or other investment funds are nonexistent.
Abdul Rahman, a 36-yo electrical engineer, is building adjoining
houses for himself and his younger brother, a dentist.
Rahman enthusiastically takes visitors through his work in progress.
There are granite kitchen counters, stained-glass skylights and
Jacuzzi bathtubs.
The 2 houses are connected by a courtyard. "We can make a party
there," Rahman said cheerfully. Then, showing his guests the master
bedroom suite, he pointed out with special pride a tangle of cables
sticking out of a wall. "The whole house will be networked," he said.
Rahman is well aware of the potential pitfalls of building one's dream
house in Iraq. Along with the absence of homeowners' insurance, there
is also the danger of "thieving and looters, even the US Army. Maybe
they will invade my house and damage it with their tanks," he said.
But, he said, in the long term, the value of his house could weather
even those catastrophes.
Could anything sink Baghdad's real estate ascendancy?
"Maybe civil war," he said.
Even though he says he thinks that is a very real possibility, it
won't change his building plans. "We believe in God," he said. "When
he wants to take us, he will take us at any time."
Israel fires missiles at Gaza house
Gaza (AP). Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a house in a refugee
camp next to Gaza City, witnesses said. 2 people were wounded,
hospital workers said. The same house was the target of an Israeli
air strike. It belongs to the cmdr of the Popular Resistance
Committee, an umbrella group of militants who broke away from other
factions. The group is thought by many to be responsible for a
bombing attack on an American diplomatic convoy in Gaza last Oct, when
3 security guards were killed. The Israeli military refused to
comment on either air strike. Smoke rose from the house after the
attack, and Israeli naval vessels were seen just off the coast. 3
people, including the cmdr, were wounded in the earlier air strike.
Arafat scrambles to defuse crisis over Gaza chaos
Gaza (Reuters). Scrambling to defuse a Palestinian leadership crisis,
Pres Yasser Arafat named a new security chief on Mon over the head of
a cousin whose appointment led to a weekend of violence by gunmen
protesting at corruption.
But PM Ahmed Qurie kept the heat on Arafat by saying he stood for now
by his resignation, tendered in frustration over what he called an
explosion of "chaos and lawlessness" that he has been powerless to stop.
Arafat, 75, is facing the stiffest challenge to his leadership since
Palestinians received a measure of self-rule from Israel a decade
ago. Some fear it could eventually boil over into civil war.
The confrontation is also widely seen as a power struggle between
Arafat's old guard and younger rivals staking out turf before Israeli
PM Ariel Sharon carries out a plan to remove Jewish settlements from
Gaza by the end of 2005.
Arafat, under public pressure to overhaul his security apparatus,
named Abdel-Razek al-Majaideh to the new post of overall security
director for the W Bank and Gaza.
He would outrank Moussa Arafat, the cousin widely seen as a symbol of
entrenched cronyism, officials said.
The reinstatement of Majaideh, a veteran cmdr who resigned earlier
this m at Arafat's request, was greeted by supporters firing automatic
weapons in the air.
Gunmen opposed to Moussa Arafat, appointed security chief in the Gaza
Strip on Sat, had battled security forces there on Sun in clashes that
left 18 people wounded.
Under the new arrangement, Moussa Arafat will retain a snr security
post in Gaza.
* QURIE WANTS REFORM
Compounding Arafat's woes was Qurie's decision on Sat to submit his
resignation after brief abductions on Fri of 4 French aid workers, a
police chief and another official in Gaza. Arafat rejected Qurie's
resignation on Sun.
After a cabinet meeting on Mon, Qurie said his resignation would stand
pending a written response from Arafat but added most ministers were
against him quitting, signalling he could still return.
He made clear his final decision could depend on Arafat's willingness
to cede security powers. "It's about time to reform our security
forces," Qurie said.
A moderate traditionally close to Arafat, Qurie has failed to get the
Pres to enact security reforms demanded by internat'l mediators
as a condition for a "road map" peace plan promising Palestinian statehood.
There was speculation that Palestinian guerrillas had struck again
inside Israel when an Israeli judge was found shot dead in his car in
the driveway of his home in a posh Tel Aviv suburb. A militant group
within Arafat's Fatah organisation swiftly claimed responsibility in a
phone call to Reuters.
But Israeli Justice Min Yosef Lapid dismissed the claim. "What we are
... sure of already is that this does not have a background of
terrorism, and that the boasting of this terrorist organisation has no
basis," he told Israel Radio.
The caller said Azar was shot for suggesting that the Palestinian
Authority be fined for suicide bomb attacks on Israelis, and in
revenge for the slaying of a Hezbollah leader in Lebanon.
A bomb killed a snr figure in the Lebanese guerrilla movement in the
Beirut suburbs on Mon. Hezbollah, which backs a Palestinian revolt
against Israel, blamed the attack on Israeli agents. Israel declined comment.
Hezbollah vows revenge after militant's killing
Beirut (AFP). Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to
"cut the hand" of the Jewish state, which he said was behind the
killing of Ghaleb Awwali, blown up as he was leaving his home in the S
suburbs of Beirut.
The attack was carried out "either by Israeli hands that infiltrated
into Lebanon with European, American or other foreign passports, or at
the hands of local Lebanese agents," Mr Nasrallah said during a
funeral ceremony for Mr Awwali.
The attack on Mr Awwali, a snr member of the group's military wing
Islamic Resistance, was the 1st targeted killing of a Hezbollah
militant in ms.
A snr Lebanese security source also pointed an accusing finger at
"networks linked to Israel," which remains technically at war with Lebanon.
A statement by a shadowy Sunni Muslim group called Jund Ash Sham
[Soldiers of Damascus] said the bombing was part of a plan to
eradicate Shiite "heresy," but a man claiming to be the group's leader
later denied any involvement.
"This statement is a fabrication. We have nothing to do with this
operation... and the 1st party to benefit from it is the Mossad
Israeli intel agency," Abu Yussef al-Sharqiyeh told AFP.
The group's offices could not be reached for clarification.
Sheikh Hassan Ezzedin, head of the Hezbollah info office, told AFP
that "the Zionist enemy is behind this act that targets the resistance
and one of its symbols, as well as the security and stability in Lebanon."
"This act was carried out by the Zionist enemy's security and intel
services and networks, and the enemy should bear full responsibility
for what it has done," he said.
The attack on Moawad street, one of the main commercial areas of the
relatively impoverished S suburbs of the Lebanese capital, which
remain a key Hezbollah stronghold.
The Islamic Resistance is the military arm of Hezbollah, which waged a
guerrilla war that was instrumental in leading to Israel's May 2000
troop pullout from S Lebanon after 22 y of occupation.
"The blood of our dear martyr Ghaleb Awwali will be avenged... and the
Zionists will discover that they have committed a big stupidity that
they will regret," Hezbollah said in a statement.
Jund Ash Sham, which announced its formation a few wk ago in the Palestinian
refugee camp of Ain al-Helweh, issued a statement claiming responsibility.
It was the 1st time that a Sunni group has allegedly claimed an attack
on a rival figure in Lebanon's Shiite community, the largest in the country.
"We have executed one of the symbols of treachery, the Shiite Ghaleb
Awwali," said Jund Ash-Sham, which refers to Damascus at the time of
the 7th century Ommayyad Islamic califate.
"This is the start of a real and decisive battle between Islam and heresy."
Jund Ash-Sham is a splinter group of Osbat al-Nour, a tiny group that
sought refuge in the Palestinian refugee camp in Ain al-Helweh after
deadly armed clashes with the Lebanese army in N Lebanon, in Jan 2000.
The grouping is made up of mostly Sunni fundamentalist Palestinians,
and some Lebanese from extremist circles that oppose Shiites,
particularly the Islamic republic of Iran.
Considered more radical than Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad,
Jund Ash Sham also opposes all other secular and nat'list Palestinian
movements.
Ain al-Helweh, the largest of Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps,
remains off limits to the Lebanese army.
Mr Awwali's killing was the 1st assassination of a Hezbollah member
since last y when Islamic Resistance member Ali al-Saleh was killed in
a similar car bombing in Beirut's S suburbs.
Israeli judge shot dead
Tel Aviv (Reuters). An Israeli judge has been found shot dead in a
car nr his home outside Tel Aviv and a Palestinian militant group has
claimed responsibility.
Justice Min Yosef Lapid reported the killing in Israel's parliament
but said it was not known who targeted the judge, identified by
Israeli media as 49-yo Adi Azar.
Police said criminal motives were not being ruled out.
Local media said Azar was shot at close range 3 times in his upper
body in the Tel Aviv suburb of Ramat Hasharon.
The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed offshoot of Palestinian Pres
Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, claimed responsibility in a phone call
to Reuters in the W Bank.
The caller said Mr Azar was shot for suggesting that the Palestinian
Authority be fined for suicide bomb attacks on Israelis, and also in
revenge for the slaying of snr Hezbollah guerrilla Ghalib Awali in a
Beirut bombing on Mon.
Hezbollah, which backs an almost 4-yo Palestinian uprising against
Israel, blamed Israeli agents for Awali's death and vowed revenge.
Israel declined comment on the bombing.
Israeli investigators said they had not ruled out a local, criminal
motive for the attack, reported to be the 1st killing of a judge in
Israeli history.
Israeli officials said in TV and radio interviews that Mr Azar's
killing was a serious blow to the judicial system but did not say who
might have been responsible.
"All directions including criminal are being investigated, our entire
district is mobilised to find the perpetrators of this barbaric act,"
said Tel Aviv police chief Yossi Sedbon.
PM Ariel Sharon's office released a statement expressing his "deep
shock and pain" at Mr Azar's killing.
Chirac tells Sharon he is not welcome in France: report
Paris (AFP). French Pres Jacques Chirac has informed Israeli PM Ariel
Sharon he is not welcome in Paris after Mr Sharon urged all French
Jews to leave the country immediately, Israeli TV has reported. Mr
Chirac had written that "after some wk of contacts concerning such a
visit it turns out that it is impossible...and you are not welcome
following your comments," according to Channel 2 TV. An Israeli FM'y
govt rep refused to comment on "confidential messages." Mr Sharon
sparked anger in Paris with a speech on Sun in which he urged all
French Jews to move immediately to Israel in order to escape what he
called the "spread of the wildest anti-Semitism". The French foreign
office has described Mr Sharon's comments as "unacceptable."
UN delays vote on Israeli wall
NY (AFP). The UN delayed a vote on Israel's W Bank wall until today,
with the European Union still haggling over a resolution calling on it
to heed a World Court ruling to tear it down.
Arab nations were hoping to get the EU behind the measure in the UN
General Assembly, lending added weight to a draft resolution that
already had enough support in the 191-nation body to pass.
After days of haggling, the UN ambassadors of the Brussels bloc held
another meeting here after failing to reach a consensus on the
measure, which had originally been expected to be put to a vote on Mon.
Israeli PM Ariel Sharon has already said he would ignore the ruling of
the Internat'l Court of Justice in The Hague, the UN's highest tribunal.
The court said Israel must dismantle the parts of the controversial
barrier that are built on Palestinian territory and pay the
Palestinians reparations for damages.
General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but do reflect
world opinion.
Only the UN Sec Council has the legal authority here to pass a binding
resolution.
The US would all but certainly use its veto power on the council to
block a similar measure.
Palestinian leadership in crisis: Annan
UN (Reuters). The Palestinian Authority (PA) must quickly reform its
security apparatus if it hopes to end the chaos in Gaza, UN Sec-Gen
Kofi Annan said on Mon.
Mr Annan, echoing harsh criticism voiced by his top envoy to the
region which prompted outrage among Palestinians last wk, said the
Palestinian leadership was in deep crisis.
"They are facing a serious situation, a serious crisis, and they have
to take steps and measures to bring it under control because without
that, it is going to be very difficult to see any progress and the way
forward," Mr Annan said.
The Gaza strip has been shaken by unprecedented disorder in the past few
days including fighting between Palestinian security forces and militants
demanding an end to corruption in PA institutions and its security apparatus.
Palestinian PM Ahmed Qurie submitted his resignation to Pres Yasser
Arafat over the growing lawlessness in Gaza but Mr Arafat rejected it.
Mr Annan urged Mr Arafat to "take the time to listen to the Prime Min"
and carry out the reforms the internat'l community has called for.
The UN, with the US, the European Union and Russia makes up the
mediating "quartet" that has sought to bring peace to the Middle East.
The comments by Mr Annan's top Middle E diplomat, Terje Roed-Larsen,
had been far more critical of the Palestinian side than in the past.
Mr Roed-Larsen warned of a paralysed PA on the verge of collapse and
said security reforms were crucial to restore law and order and the
authority's credibility abroad.
He singled out Mr Arafat for doing little to implement reforms.
Mr Annan said : "He was stating the facts and I think events have
borne him out."
"But that is not anything to take satisfaction from," Mr Annan said.
"What is important is the actions that need to be taken on the ground
to bring it under control," he said.
East Timor protest escalates
Dili (AP). E Timorese police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to
disperse 100s of protesters who had occupied the tiny nation's govt
building to demand immediate elections.
At least 4 protesters, most of whom were members of the country's
former Falintil resistance movement, were injured in the clash,
witnesses said. Police arrested at least 30 people.
The demonstrators occupied the seaside govt building late Mon.
They were demanding reforms in the security forces and immediate
elections in the country, which remains poverty stricken 4 y after it
broke from Indonesian rule.
The next round of elections are not due until 2007.
Ex-Falintil members have protested in the past because they feel they
have not been given enough say in the running of the country they
fought to liberate from Indonesia.
In Dec 2002, riots in Dili left 2 dead and destroyed dozens of
buildings catering to foreign aid workers and consultants. Mobs also
set ablaze the PM's home.
Those riots were blamed on rising frustration at the slow pace of
development in the country and jealousy at the lifestyles enjoyed by
the foreign community.
Unemployment is estimated at between 60% and 80%. More than half of E Timor's
800,000 people live on less than 55 cents a day, according to the UN.
East Timorese voted to end Indonesia's 24-y occupation in 1999 and
become independent.
Indonesian troops and their proxy militias responded by killing 1,500
and destroying much of the half-island.
Fretilin, the party aligned with the resistance movement, won the
country's 1st legislative election in Aug 2001 and now controls the
88-seat parliament.
Rebel leader Xanana Gusmao won the presid'l election in Apr 2002, a m
before the country became independent.
Police break up Dili riot
Dili. East Timorese riot police used tear gas this morning to break
up an anti-govt demo in the capital Dili. Eyewitnesses have told the
ABC in Darwin about 100 protesters were dispersed with tear gas. They
were led by a dissident former Falintil guerrilla known by his jungle
code name L7. The group broke up into small groups and was chased by
police who made several arrests nr the central market area of Dili.
The UN has issued a security warning and ordered its staff to avoid
the area around the Timorese parliament.
Man charged over latest Norfolk Is murder
Norfolk Is. A 25-yo Norfolk Island man has been charged with murder
following the shooting there today of a Govt minister.
Ivens Buffett, 60, was found dead in his parliamentary office.
The man will appear before the Norfolk Island Magistrates court
tomorrow morning.
Mr Buffet was Norfolk's Land and Environment Min.
He was found dead in his office at about lunchtime today with a
gunshot wound.
Aussie Fed Police are travelling to the island to assist with
investigations and a post mortem will be conducted later this wk.
Police say a man was arrested at the scene and remains in custody.
Distant relative of the dead man, Alice Buffet says local residents
are distraught.
"The whole community is in shock and grief -- there's great grief," she said.
She says the community is still dealing with the murder of 29-yo
Janelle Patton in 2002. That case remains unsolved.
Fed Justice Min Chris Ellison says there is no link between today's
shooting and the Patton case.
* Tributes
Fed Territories Min Jim Lloyd has paid tribute to Mr Buffett,
describing his death as a sad loss for the Norfolk Island community,
which he had served for nearly 3 decades.
"I'm sure it is a great shock to the community," he said.
"I've spoken as I said with the administrator Grant Tambling, I've also
spoken to the Chief Min, Mr Geoff Gardner and he was quite shocked as well.
"The fact that Mr Buffett had been shot in his office in Parliament
House just increases the trauma of the event."
ACT Chief Min Jon Stanhope says he knew Ivens Buffet by his nickname Tun.
The pair worked together when Mr Stanhope was official secretary and
deputy administrator of Norfolk Island.
He says Mr Buffett's death comes as a great shock.
"And of course for a very small and compact community, a death such as
that, it is an enormous tragedy and something of enormous disquiet and
concern," he said.
Son charged with minister's murder
Norfolk Is. The son of a Norfolk Island govt minister who was shot
dead yesterday has been charged with his murder.
Leith Buffett, 25, has appeared in the local magistrates court,
charged over the death of local Land and Environment minister, Ivens
Buffett, who was shot dead in his office.
Leith Buffett has been remanded in custody for the next 14 days.
The Chief Min of Norfolk Island has paid tribute to the slain
minister, saying he was a good friend to many on the Island.
Chief Min Geoff Gardner gave workers at the Legislative Assembly the
day off.
He says he is overwhelmed with their decision to come to work and
answer the phones which have been ringing non-stop.
"Ensuring there is support for members of the Assembly, the Govt in
particular and each other, and really a demo of the strength of this
community and the significant respect for a very valued friend," he said.
Mr Gardner said there is no connection between the island's only 2 murders.
"It's important to stress there is no connection between the Janelle
Patton murder, which was a tragedy in itself, and this very
unfortunate family tragedy which we experienced yesterday on the
island," he said.
Japan PM to seek US 'consideration' for accused deserter
Tokyo (Reuters). Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi plans to seek special
consideration from Washington for an accused US Army deserter who
married a Japanese woman during their long stay in N Korea.
Washington says Charles Robert Jenkins, who arrived in Japan on Sun
with his wife, Hitomi Soga, and their 2 daughters, deserted to
communist N Korea 39 y ago.
But it has delayed requesting custody from Tokyo because of the health
of Mr Jenkins, who met Ms Soga after she was abducted by Pyongyang
agents in the 1970s.
"I think we have to negotiate with the US while he is being treated for his
illness and, if possible, seek special consideration," Mr Koizumi said.
Mr Jenkins, 64, has been admitted to a Tokyo hospital where he is to
be examined by Japanese doctors.
The US has repeatedly said it would have the right to request custody
of Mr Jenkins if he came to Japan.
But in Washington, the US confirmed on Mon that it will delay requesting
Japan hand Mr Jenkins over because of his medical treatment, and a snr
official left open the possibility the govt could drop the case due to
his health.
"While we do expect to present a legal request for custody at the
appropriate time, we won't be doing that right away because of his
medical condition," State Dept rep Richard Boucher said.
Asked if the US would ever ask for custody, another snr State Dept
official, who asked not to be named, said, "It depends on the medical
situation."
Analysts say there may be a tacit agreement to try to avoid a dispute
with Japan.
The former army sergeant spent his 1st full day in Japan on Mon
relaxing with his family after risking arrest by flying in.
Mr Jenkins, Ms Soga and their N Korea-born daughters Mika, 21, and
Belinda, 18, flew to Tokyo on Sun from Indonesia, which has no
extradition treaty with the US.
Mr Jenkins, originally from N Carolina, was a 24-yo army sergeant on
night patrol nr the demilitarised zone between N and South Korea in
1965 when he left his men to check a noise.
He surfaced in N Korea where the US says he became part of the
Stalinist state's propaganda machine.
UK officials failed to protect asylum seekers, court hears
London (ABC, Kirsten Aitken). The Court of Appeal in London has been
told the Brit Foreign Secretary and consular officials based in MEL
failed to protect 2 child asylum seekers from inhumane and degrading
treatment by the Aussie authorities. Muntazer and Alamdar Bakhtiyari
claim For Sec Jack Straw and MEL-based consular officials breached
internat'l human rights obligations by refusing to provide them
indefinite shelter at the Brit Consulate in MEL. They sought asylum
there in Jul 2002 after escaping from the now defunct Woomera
Detention Centre. Within hours of their arrival they were effectively
expelled from the premises and detained by the Aussie Fed Police to be
re-incarcerated. Their counsel, Lord Kingsdale, said the consulate
staff had a duty to protect them from being returned to Woomera. He
also said their failure to do so meant they had effectively taken the
boys to the cellar and tortured them. The hearing has been set down
for 3 days.
Cricketing boomerang comes back -- with interest
Canberra. The Nat'l Museum of AUS has spent $11,000 on a boomerang
which featured in the 1868 tour of England by an Aboriginal cricket
team. The boomerang was thrown to entertain the crowds by the
Aboriginal player Twopenny, who at the time was the world's fastest
bowler. The museum in CBR also purchased a rare photographic poster
of the players, which will feature in a new exhibition in CBR tracing
Aussie sport and social history. The Aboriginal side was the 1st
Aussie team to tour England. The players created quite a stir, with
the Manchester Chronicle reporting: "The Aborigines made a highly
interesting exhibition of skill and dexterity in the use of the
boomerang and throwing spears. "The eccentric aerial flights of the
boomerang and its manipulation by the blacks, created unlimited
curiosity and wonderment to the beholders," the paper continued.
QLD producers banned from moving fruit
Brisbane. A statewide ban is now in place to stop all citrus
producers from selling or moving their fruit, in the wake of the
citrus canker outbreak in central Qld.
Producers outside Emerald and the Gaydah/Mundubbera area will only be
allowed to send fruit to local markets if they have it treated in the
presence of a Dept of Primary Industries inspector.
The dept's John Chapman says the ban will stay in place until
interstate markets are convinced that Qld citrus is canker free.
"A lot of people will consider it unreasonable but it's all about
giving comfort to our S trading partners who are insisting on us not
moving plant material that may be susceptible to citrus canker around
the state just in case there are other sources of infection other than
the evergreen farms in Emerald," he said.
Citrus farmers say an interstate ban on their produce has forced them
to shed jobs.
Mareeba grower Debbie Calano has got 30 pallets of fruit in storage.
She says the ban has done more than just lower prices and waste fruit.
"We let go 2 of our full-time workers, we had to let them go last week
so we kept them on for one wk thinking something might happen but we
had to let them go," she said.
Annual turnover solid for Harvey Norman
[News of every encyclopedia salesman's favourite company!]
Sydney. Retailer Harvey Norman has enjoyed a solid rise in annual
turnover. The company has reported sales of almost $43.6 bn for the
financial y just ended, a rise of nearly 16%. During the year, Harvey
Norman opened 16 new stores in AUS, New Zealand and Ireland. The company
says sales since the end of the financial y have continued to be strong.
Govt enterprises 'could do better'
Canberra. The Productivity Commission says many of AUS's govt
enterprises could be more profitable than they are. The commission
has reviewed the financial performance of 84 enterprises in key
sectors, including power, water, transport and forests. Commissioner
Mike Woods says while most enterprises have improved their
profitability in recent years, many could be doing better. "Less than
half of the govt trading enterprises are still earning what could be
regarded as a commercial rate of return on their assets, so there is
still room for improvement," he said. "Efficiency in operation is
very important to make sure that taxpayers funds have been wisely
invested and are being wisely used."
NAB survey shows economy doing well
Sydney (ABC, Adrian Thirsk). AUS's biggest bank has reaffirmed its
view that the nat'l economy could be re-accelerating.
Nat'l AUS Bank's latest quarterly business shows similar results to
last wk's monthly reading for Jun.
NAB chief economist Alan Oster says the survey portrays a
"fundamentally well-performing economy".
"Basically after very strong growth last y, a weak 1st quarter and then
stronger numbers coming through, not just in terms of actual conditions
but in terms of forward orders, in terms of expectations for the next
3 m and indeed for expectations for the next 12 months," he said.
Employment expectations are also stronger -- according to Mr Oster,
the nat'l jobless rate could head down towards 5% over coming ms.
And there are more pointers to a continuing export recovery.
The survey has confirmed monthly results indicating a significant
improvement in globally exposed sectors.
Mr Oster says mining, agribusiness and manufacturing are at the forefront.
"What we're seeing is globally exposed -- strong, retail kind of
sideways, and the construction sector, yes it's come off, but it's
kind of stabilised in the Jun quarter," he said.
"So overall, local economy still stabilising, internat'l exposed
sectors improving."
Telstra job goes to Howard mate, says Labor
Canberra. The Fed Govt has welcomed the appointment of Don McGauchie
as Telstra's new chairman, saying he is an outstanding Aussie who will
bring extensive experience to the job, but the Opp'n says it is a
political appointment designed to persuade regional AUS to accept
Telstra's privatisation.
Fin Min Nick Minchin has praised the appointment.
"Don McGauchie has done a tremendous job in a whole range of areas for
AUS," he said.
Mr McGauchie's appointment follows the sudden resignation of Bob
Mansfield in Apr who said there had been a rupture in the bond of
trust on the board.
"I look forward to working with the board and the CEO Ziggy Switkowski
to implement the strategic direction outlined in the Board's recent
capital management statement," Mr McGauchie said in a statement.
"Telstra has reached an important phase in its development -- our
great challenge now is to deliver shareholder value," he said.
The Fed Opp'n says the appointment of Mr McGauchie will alarm financial
markets and not persuade country AUS that Telstra should be privatised.
Labor's Communications rep Lindsay Tanner says Mr McGauchie has no
substantial background in running a telecommunications company and
says the Howard Govt has appointed a political mate to the job.
Mr Tanner says he believes the new chairman is closely associated with
the faction on the Telstra Board which recently ousted his
predecessor, Bob Mansfield.
Key independent Sen Meg Lees is disappointed because she says it is
not an independent appointment.
"What we are seeing is very much a Govt appointment," she said.
Mr McGauchie has been a director of Telstra since 1998, sits on he
board of the Reserve Bank of AUS and also James Hardie Industries.
He was also the Pres of the Nat'l Farmers Federation from 1994 to 1998.
He will take over the post with immediate effect.
His appointment ends a 3-m search.
Telstra plans will not change: PM
Canberra. The PM says the Govt is not changing its plans to privatise
Telstra and overhaul media ownership rules. John Howard has clarified
comments by the new Communications Min Helen Coonan, who has flagged
that she might make some changes to legislation relating to those
issues in a bid to have the Govt's plans approved by the Senate. Mr
Howard says any changes would not mean the Govt is shifting from its
original plans. "Helen was expressing the natural view of an incoming
minister that you look at the details and the nuances of the policy
but the fundamentals of that policy is not going to change any more
than the fundamentals of our policy regarding television licences and
so forth, that's not going to change either," he said.
Nat'l port security to be boosted
Canberra. The PM has unveiled plans to improve port security across
AUS, with a scheme that will cost $100 mn over 4 y.
John Howard says the package will include the establishment of a new
govt taskforce to review security for offshore oil and gas rigs.
He says facilities to X-ray containers arriving at ports will also be
boosted, and on-board random customs checks will be increased.
"We'll post specialist immigration officials to ports to assist with
border control and we're also proposing to amend the Migration Act to
allow passengers on round-trip cruises to be more easily checked,
should that be deemed necessary in the future," he said.
However he concedes not all cargo will be inspected.
"I don't think you can ever work towards or ever hope to have 100%,"
he said.
"A lot of this is done on the basis of risk assessment and on the
basis of intel and obviously you like to have it as high as possible
but from a practical point of view and a resource point of view, you
do try and base it on risk assessment and intel."
The Opp'n says it has already announced a similar plan but argues its
measures are more sophisticated because they include the capacity to
interdict and escort ships.
Labor's Homeland Security rep Robert McClelland says the Govt's plan
is too little, too late.
"Its announcements that have been made 3 y after Sep 11 that are going
to take another 4 y to be in place, so we're talking about 7 y before,
as the PM, said we're up to the standard of comparable countries," he said.
"Quite frankly we don't think that's good enough."
Nat'l prostate tissue bank to be formed
A nat'l prostate tissue bank is to be set up in Bris.
Brisbane. The Aussie Prostate Cancer Collaboration Bio-Resource has
been given $2 mn by the Nat'l Health and Medical Research Council.
Prof Judith Clements will lead the project and she says the tissue
bank will help find new ways to diagnose prostate cancer which affects
at least one in 10 men in AUS. "We need to actually work together and
bring the network together and have a larger repository of the tissues
and also the very important thing is to have very comprehensive info
on the men that have the cancer," she said.
Mornington tip search may end
Vic police have confirmed they have found human remains at a tip.
Melbourne. Police will today consider ending their search of a tip on
Vic's Mornington Peninsula, where they have been seeking evidence
regarding the disappearance of a mother and daughter. They found what
is believed to be more human remains at the site yesterday afternoon.
The search began 3 wk ago, after John Myles Sharpe was charged with
murdering his pregnant wife Anna Kemp and their daughter, Gracie. The
mother and daughter disappeared in March. The results from forensic
tests on human remains found at the tip 2 weeks ago, are yet to be released.
Mornington tip search ends
Melbourne. Vic Police have ended their search of a tip for the
bodies of Mornington mother, Anna Kemp, and her 2-yo daughter, Gracie
Sharpe. Officers have spent the past few wk searching a tip for the
remains of the pair, who disappeared in March. Anna Kemp's husband,
John Sharpe, has been charged with their murders. Police yesterday
made the 3rd discovery of human remains at the tip since the search
began. Homicide Squad detective inspector Bernie Rankin says the
remains are yet to be officially identified. "We've found items of
great interest to us, we've found human remains, and at this stage
remembering that there is a person in custody, I can't take that
matter much further," he said. "We believe at this stage we've
recovered most items of evidentiary interest."
Lebovic says Newspoll shows a trend
Sydney (AAP). Declining support for Opp'n Leader Mark Latham is unrelated
to recent allegations about his past, a leading pollster believes.
Support for Mr Latham was "basically just falling away each
fortnight", Newspoll director Sol Lebovic said after the latest
Newspoll found voter satisfaction with the Labor leader dropped to 46%
from 49% 2 wk ago.
That marked a new low in his rating since his record high of 66% in Mar.
However, if an election was held, Labor would win govt with a one-seat
majority, Mr Lebovic said.
"It's incredibly close," he told ABC radio.
The Newspoll, published in The Aussie newspaper, found Labor ahead on
a 2-party preferred basis, 51%age points to 49.
Mr Lebovic did not believe declining support for Mr Latham was the
result of allegations about his past aired on the 9 Network's Sun
program 2 wk ago -- even though the previous poll was held before the
program aired.
"Possibly most of that was already factored in 2 weeks ago," he said.
Mr Lebovic said it was possible Mr Latham's popularity had fallen even
further in the past 2 weeks but that it had been offset by his
appointment of former Labor leader Kim Beazley as opp'n defence rep.
"Maybe the Beazley appointment took some of that away," he said.
Even though Labor would narrowly win an election held, the Howard govt
still enjoyed similar support to when it won the last election, Mr
Lebovic said.
"Not a lot really has changed in terms of govt support," he said,
adding the latest poll did not back suggestions the govt was "on the nose".
The Fairfax newspapers' ACNielsen poll, also published, found support
for Labor had dropped to its lowest level since Mr Latham took over
the leadership.
But Labor, still ahead 52-48 in 2-party preferred terms, would have
won the election had it been held on the weekend, it found.
Howard hints at late poll, Latham shrugs off slide
Canberra. The PM says he expects Parliament to return as planned from
its winter break early next m, signalling he is not yet ready to call
a fed election, as the Fed Opp'n Leader played down the results of the
2 opinion polls.
Labor has hung on to a slim election-winning lead, in the polls out today
but voter satisfaction with leader Mark Latham's performance has slipped.
If Parliament resumes for its planned 2 wk sitting at the start of
Aug, that would push possible election dates out to the end of Sep at
the earliest.
"It is reasonable to assume and natural to assume that Parliament will
sit as planned," Mr Howard said.
The fortnightly Newspoll in today's Aussie has Labor ahead after
preferences are distributed by 51% to 49%.
An AC Neilsen poll in today's SYD Morning Herald and Age newspapers
gives the ALP a 4-point lead, even though it has fallen 5-points
behind the Coalition on the primary vote.
It appears Mark Latham's personal standing has suffered in recent wks,
as attention has focused on rumours about his private life.
In the SYD Morning Herald and Age poll, Mr Latham's approval rating is
down 5 points to 50% and in the latest Newspoll, his satisfaction
rating has dropped to a 7-m low of 46%.
Mr Latham has told S Cross Radio poll results fluctuate regularly.
"People are cynical about the media, I think they're cynical about
polls," he said.
"The polls come and go but in this public life it's good to be
advocating policies and being out there talking to people, so
inevitably you find with these polls they bounce around.
"I think they've been up and down in the last couple of m and they'll
probably continue to do that because the next election's going to be
close and it's a hard fought contest."
Chernobyl still hitting shrooms
Helsinki (SA). Finns, who consume on average nearly 1.5 kg of wild
mushrooms a year, should continue to take precautions when eating some
types of fungi because of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 18 y ago,
officials said on Mon.
In Apr 1986, a nuclear reactor at Ukraine's Chernobyl power plant
exploded and spewed equivalent radiation of more than 200 Hiroshima
bombs into the air, contaminating large parts of Europe, including SW Finland.
Aino Rantavaara, a researcher with the Finnish radiation and nuclear
safety authority,said: "There are no mushrooms that people should not
eat, but we emphasise that, in some regions, making up just 20% of our
total land area, people should still take some precautions when eating
certain types."
She recommended boiling mushrooms and then discarding the water, which
typically removes between 2/3 and 90% of radioactive materials such as
Caesium 137.
While the Chernobyl nuclear disaster is the largest so far, it
accounts for only 1% of the total annual radiation Finns are exposed
to, the remainder coming from natural background radiation, she said.
Call to end whaling moratorium dominates IWC opening
Rome (AFP). Pro- and anti-whaling nations have locked horns at the
beginning of a 4-day meeting of the Internat'l Whaling Commission
(IWC) amid growing support for an end to an 18-y moratorium on
commercial whaling.
A row over the agenda set the tone as pro-whaling Japan attempted, and
failed, to block issues which it insists have no place at the IWC --
whale-watching, whale-killing methods and associated welfare issues.
"These are outside the competence of the IWC and non-essential, while
leaving essential issues, such as proper management of whale stocks,
unsolved," said Japan's commissioner Minoru Morimoto.
It drew support from a number of small developing countries like
Mauritania, which conservation groups allege simply toe the Japanese
line because they benefit from lavish Japanese foreign aid.
However, the move was blocked by an alliance of anti-whaling states,
including Brit.
"They are indeed the legitimate competence of this organisation and it
is vital that they are discussed," said Brit's commissioner Richard Cowan.
Japan later pushed for a secret ballot in IWC votes, strongly opposed
by the United States, Germany and NZ, whose commissioner Geoffrey
Palmer said it would be "a bloody great step backwards" for democracy
within the IWC.
At a press conference by non-govt'l organisations on the sidelines of
the meeting, the environmental group WWF said countries would no
longer be accountable to their citizens if Japan got its way on the
secret ballot issue.
"I'm astonished that any democratic country in 2004 could be
advocating more secrecy at an internat'l forum such as this," a Brit
official told the meeting.
Mr Morimoto, in his opening statement to the meeting, said Japan had
come to the "end of its patience" on the matter of the moratorium, in
place since 1986, and reiterated its threat to pull out of the IWC if
a return to commercial whaling could not be achieved by the 57th
annual meeting next y.
Japan and Iceland currently take 100s of whales each year, mostly
minke and Bryde's whales, for so-called "scientific" purposes allowed
under the IWC's rules.
However, Mr Morimoto told the meeting Tokyo intended to "increase the
take of whales in the N Pacific from this y."
A rep told AFP later Japan would take 120 extra whales in the area,
for a total of 380.
"We will also continue our whale research activities in the Antarctic,"
he said, meaning Japan would continue to ignore a Southern Ocean whale
sanctuary established a decade ago.
Japan currently takes 440 whales in the sanctuary, an area it
continues to insist has no scientific justification.
The moratorium was introduced by the IWC in 1986 to prevent the extinction
of a number of endangered species, but many newer African and Caribbean
members, like Mauritania, Ivory Coast and Surinam, support Japan's stance.
Although the balance is tipping in favour of whaling, it would take an
unlikely 3/4 majority to overturn the ban.
However, a simple majority would be seen as a major boost to the
pro-whaling states.
Susan Lieberman, director of the WWF's global species program, says
even a simple majority would be "a disaster" for anti-whaling groups
because it could see a major shift within the IWC -- a resolution
endorsing Japan and Iceland's scientific whaling instead of condemning it.
Many environmental groups believe this is the thin end of the wedge
paving the way for a return to commercial whaling.
"The worst of it is that the rest of the world doesn't seem to care,"
said Ms Lieberman.
Indeed, as a return to commercial whaling inched closer inside the
conference centre, only a lone German, Andreas Morlok, stood beside a
"Stop Whaling" banner outside.
PM says NZ has to prepare for more frequent floods
NZ has to prepare for more frequent and extreme floods says PM Helen Clark.
Wellington (NZPA). A state of emergency remained in force in parts of
the Bay of Plenty after 2 days of earthquakes and floods, which have
claimed 2 lives, and caused damage expected to run into the "tens of millions".
Helen Clark and Civil Defence Min George Hawkins visited the flood-hit
region yesterday -- the 2nd large flood to hit the N Island in less
than 6 m.
Helen Clark last night said the disasters were not just a matter of
coincidence.
"It tells us that our climate is becoming much more erratic. It is
most unusual to get events of this scale within a few m of each
other," she said.
"All the predictions are that we are moving into an era of much more
unpredictable and extreme weather and it may be that for the medium
term our regional councils will have to look at their flood
precautionary measures."
When rebuilding destroyed flood control attempts such as stopbanks,
thought would have to be put in about building them to a higher
standard, she said.
"Because it didn't hold this time."
The Govt must take a stronger line on climate change factors and
un-sustainable land use to "mitigate the effects of the catastrophic
flooding and extreme weather events", the Green Party said.
Green MP Ian Ewen-Street said climate change was a reality, and
lessons that should have been learnt from past events had not been.
"Weather bombs that have hit NZ in the last 20 y should have provided
a strategic plan to deal with weather events," he said.
"Sadly, we still have none."
Solutions lay in a shorter-term reforestation of marginal land in the
agriculture sector and in long-term measures to put brakes on climate
change, he said.
"We are reaping the cost of a century of the clear-felling of marginal
land to be used for pasture," he said.
"Rather than simply assisting farmers to recover only to the point of
using their land again in an un-sustainable way, any assistance package
should be clearly tied to efforts to change their land use to include
reforestation with indigenous species on marginal land."
Helen Clark yesterday showed the Govt had learnt a political lesson on
how to react to flooding.
The Govt was criticised as reacting too slowly to Feb floods in the
Manawatu and Rangitikei and was today determined to remove any hint of
hesitancy in reacting to the weekend's flooding.
Cabinet quickly approved a package of assistance and said it would do
all it could to help.
Helen Clark said the Bay of Plenty floods were comparable to the
flooding in the lower N Island earlier in the year, though covering
less land.
"In the affected areas it is clearly as bad as that, but its covering
a lot less territory than the Manawatu/Rangitikei/South Taranaki
disaster, but certainly we have seen a great deal of flooding," she said.
Helen Clark said the forces of nature had created some tragic sights
around Brian's Beach, nr Opotiki, where a mudslide had killed a woman
when it hit her home.
"Where the slip came down, it just tossed a little house around like
it was matchsticks and it clearly had enormous force behind it.
"The people next door said they thought the last pohutukawa moved from
half away up the slope in 3 seconds to crush down the house. So it has
been a very sudden and very traumatic event for people here."
NASA's estimates rise for work on space shuttle fleet
Washington (USA Today). Fixing the US space shuttle fleet will be
more expensive than originally estimated, top NASA officials said.
It could cost as much as $1.1 bn to accomplish all the safety upgrades
and changes now underway and planned, said Steven Isakowitz, NASA
comptroller. That's more than double the estimate NASA gave earlier this y.
The price increase was caused by additional shuttle improvements NASA
has begun, and more extensive work on repairs that NASA was already
undertaking, said Michael Kostelnik, deputy associate administrator
for the Internat'l Space Station and space shuttle programs.
"It's not as if we couldn't estimate the cost," he said Fri at a NASA
briefing. "We could not estimate the content."
For example, Kostelnik said modifications to the insulation foam on
the shuttle external fuel tank, the culprit in the loss of shuttle
Columbia, have been far more extensive than originally thought.
Additionally, shuttle program managers are tackling far more
improvements to the remaining 3 space planes than 15 enhancements
mandated by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board last summer,
Kostelnik said.
The new shuttle repair estimates come just before a House
appropriations subcommittee is scheduled to take up an annual spending
bill that will set NASA's funding for fiscal y 2005, which begins Oct 1.
Isakowitz said NASA has briefed members of Congress on the increased
cost estimates. "They fully appreciate a program of this complexity,"
he said. "There is no easy solution."
The Bush Admin has asked for an $866 mn hike in NASA's budget for the
next fiscal year. Of that increase, $750 mn is for shuttle
return-to-flight needs and Internat'l Space Station costs.
"Unless we get the president's full request, the problem [of fixing
the shuttles] could be a lot tougher," Isakowitz said.
Although the appropriations process may not wrap up until after
Election Day, members of Congress have already expressed opp'n to
granting NASA such a big increase in a tight budget y when many other
fed programs are being told to endure cuts or slight increases.
{{
1 am
Moscow. The judge in the Khodorkovsky case has resigned, saying the
media had put her under excessive pressure.
2 am
A Brit chopper has crashed nr Basra, killing 1 soldier and injuring
another. It's unclear whether the aircraft was shot down.
A court in Darfur has sentenced several Janjaweed defendants to have
their left arm and left leg amputated for attacks in the region. The
sentence is in accord with local Islamic law.
6.30 am
Mark Latham's satisfaction rate has fallen in 2 polls. It's believed
to be related to renewed rumours about his private life. In the
latest Newspoll, only 46% of Aussies are satisfied with the performance
of the Opp'n leader -- a 7-m low. In the SMH/Age poll, Mr Latham's
satisfaction rate is down 5 pts to 50%. The Coal'n is pulling ahead of
the Opp'n on primary vote, with 45% saying they'll vote for the Fed
Govt. On TPP Labour is just ahead in both polls -- at 51% in
Newspoll and 52% in SMH/Age.
The Dow has closed down 46 pts. The Nasdaq ended up 1 pts. The FTSE
is down 18 pts. Gold is down $1 at $US405.80/oz. The AUD is on idle
at 73.23 US c. Oil is surging at $US41.83/bbl.
A 25 yo man has been charged with the murder of Norfolk island's 60
yo governor. The suspect is believed to be a relative of the dead
man. [Later reports say "son"].
Police have reportedly found more human remains at a Mornington
Peninsula tip.
Aussie terrorist suspect Willie Brigitte could be extradited from
France to face trial in AUS.
An Aussie cyclist has been cleared of a drug trafficking charge after
a 4 hr hearing in SYD last night. He was cleared of importing human
growth hormone 5 y ago.
Brit police are investigating how secret counter-terrorism plans for
Heathrow Airport got to a roadside where they were found by a
motorist. The plans showed 62 points at the airport where terrorists
could fire shoulder-launched missiles at aircraft, along with relevant
escape routes. It also listed times of police and dog patrols. The
report was written by Scotland Yard last m. It's reportedly a "how to"
manual for terrorists.
[I thought I'd heard of a similar bungle several m's ago].
2 people have been killed on NZ's N island as floods and 100s of small
to medium quakes hit the region.
The Phil embassy in Kuwait say all 51 soldiers have been pulled out of
Iraq -- nearly 1 m ahead of schedule. There's no word yet whether the
move has saved the life of a hostage. The US has been angered by what
is sees as a "capitulation". In Iraq, insurgents appear to be
increasingly well-organised. PM Allawi is on official visit to
Jordan, trying to find co-operation in keeping foreign jihadists who
could disrupt the country even further out of Iraq.
Another "proof of concept" virus has been discovered -- this time for a PDA.
Brazil is to start shooting down aircraft suspected of smuggling drugs
across the Amazon jungle.
7 am
Authorities have moved after it was found 340,000 ducks had died from
a bacterial disease at a Vic duck farm.
The Afghan govt is to crack down on voter registration after officials
have been found buying voter registration cards outside Kabul. It's
not clear whether they were buying votes or voter registrations.
Candidates must supply photocopies of a certain number of voter cards
in order to stand in the elections. The presid'l vote is scheduled
for Sep 9.
CBR. The PM has unveiled a scheme to improve port security across AUS.
It's apparently connected with the UN's new port security standards.
AUS had been criticised for failing to meet deadlines for implementing
the standards. Mr Howard has announced spending $100 mn over 4 y. He
said x-raying of containers will be boosted, on-board custom checks
increased, and incl beefed-up security at offshore oil wells.
There's been an Israeli missile strike on a house in Gaza. 3 militants
have been wounded. The group -- the Popular Resistance Committees --
were suspected of killing US soldiers in Gaza last y. In the W Bank,
Israeli soldiers killed a man wearing a suicide belt. They say he
exploded when he was hit by gunfire.
7.30 am
China has started a crack-down on illegal sat TV installations. The
govt says the move is intended to prevent citizens watching "violent
and reactionary foreign TV". Sat TV is officially allowed mostly in
foreign hotels.
Midday.
The PM says the Govt is not changing its plans to privatise Telstra
and overhaul media ownership rules.
The PM has unveiled plans to improve port security across AUS, with a
scheme that will cost $100 mn over 4 y.
The Fed Opp'n has hung on to a slim election-winning lead, in 2 major
polls out today but voter satisfaction with leader Mark Latham's
performance has slipped.
The All Ords is down 18 pts. NAB shares closed at $28 yesterday for
the 1st time in 3 y. It's down .40 today at $A27.59. The Dow closed
down 46 pts. The Nasdaq ended up marginally. The Nikkei is down 179.
In HK, the Hang Seng is down 64. Gold is higher at $US406.35/oz. Oil
is also up .39 at $US41.64/bbl.
Dutch research seems to suggest graphic TV ads of MV accidents
actually incite male drivers to take risks and drive faster, "to prove
the ads wrong".
A letter from al-Qaeda that put the Netherlands on a heightened state
of alert this wk has turned out not to exist. The govt had claimed a
letter threatening an attack had been received at EU HQ. But it has
now admitted the letter does not exist.
2 Syrian suspects have been arrested in N Holland, on suspicion they
were planning to attack 5 Dutch soldiers who were competing in an
annual marathon. Police say a house occupied by the pair was a
"clearing house for foreign suspects".
Analysts say Pal Pres Arafat had deliberately made controversial
decision over Gaza security in order to strengthen his control of the
organisations.
1 pm
Israeli choppers have fired missiles in Gaza, wounding up to 5 people.
The missiles were fired at a house nr Gaza City -- the same compound
attack earlier on Mon, injuring 3 people.
NY-based Human Rights Watch says it has documents that show the Sudan
govt has supported Arab militias in Darfur. The govt has long denied
the allegations its supporting a campaign of ethnic cleansing in the E
of Africa's largest country.
9.30 pm
The All Ords has slipped to 5 wk lows. Harvey Norman is down 1% on
weaker sales. The Nikkei closed down 177 pts. The FTSE is down 1/2 pt.
Oil is up .57 at $US41.60/bbl.
}}
----------------------------------------
Wed, 21 Jul 2004.
Neil Armstrong walked on the moon 35 y ago.
HEADLINES:
4 US troops killed in Fallujah
2 killed in Samarra
Hezbollah fighter, 2 Israelis killed in clash
Resistance kills governor of Basra in Iraq
Zarqawi group demands Japan quit Iraq, warns Muslim countries
UN inspectors to return to Iraq
New report backs Iraq WMD claims -- Chairman Warner
Japan defies Iraq terror threat
Iraq requests return of UN nuclear inspectors
Blair defiant over Iraq weapons intel
'It's Time' slogan promotes Labor event
9/11 Report won't say attacks preventable
Brace for quicker rate hikes if inflation rises: Greenspan
Canada's govt under pressure over WTO compromise
Defence inquiry to visit Pine Gap
Eadie considers suing AOC
Experimental vaccine keeps cancer patients disease-free
Experts warn of new breed of computer worms
Fed police arrive on Norfolk Island
Govt denies Telstra appointment is sell-off ploy
Greenspan give US markets a lift
Haiti promised $US1.1 bn in aid
Hanson attends Liberal fundraiser
Hormone shots help tanning, cut sun damage: study
I, Robot 'threatens' human supremacy
Internet addresses 'for all'
Labor flags ID cards for foreign workers
Labor plans extra after-hours doctors
Livestock export death rates fall to new low
Martian meteor discovered in Antarctica
Men over 55 desert Latham
More evidence of economic recovery
New dads need more support says research
Origin targets $3 bn NZ purchase
Overseas trained doctors offered hand back into profession
Philippine "weakness" won't stop terrorists: Howard
Pinochet faces new charges
Pope orders inquiry into sexual misconduct allegations
SARS whistleblower released from detention
School time capsule 'disappears', ruins garden
Spain dynamite smuggling probe
Sudan rejects human rights report on Darfur
Sugar industry launches bio-security plan
Suspected wanted activists in Riyadh clash
UN Assembly tells Israel to tear down barrier
UN vote demands Israel tear down barrier
US anti-terror efforts gain favour
US investigates Sudan genocide claims
US urges Arafat to give up powers
US welcomes hostage release, regrets pullout
Violence flares on Israel-Lebanon border
Greenspan give US markets a lift
NY/Sydney. A reasonably upbeat economic assessment from the head of
the US Fed Reserve has allowed American equity markets to kick back
into life.
Fed Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan has appeared before the US Senate
saying expansion has become "more broad-based" and has produced
"notable" gains in employment.
Delivering the central bank's semi-annual economic outlook, he has
said recent softness "should prove short-lived".
Dr Greenspan says "the considerable monetary policy accommodation put
in place in 2001 is becoming increasingly unnecessary".
But he believes the US economy will be able to handle rising interest
rates, even if they need to be less gradual than currently anticipated.
On Wall Street, strong profit reports from companies including Corning
have helped lift the mood among investors.
Prices on the NYSE have registered their biggest gain since late Jun.
The DJIA has closed 55 points higher at 10,149.
Prices on the high-tech Nasdaq market have jumped ahead almost 1.8 per
cent overall. The Nasdaq composite index gained 33 points to 1,917.
There has been a recovery in prices on the Brit share market after 3
straight days of losses.
Pharmaceutical heavyweights have led the way. London's FT-100 index
has recouped 18 points to finish at 4,339.
The Aussie market yesterday suffered sizeable losses.
Nat'l AUS Bank shares were again under pressure, hitting a new 3-y low
of $27.40, before finishing at $27.48.
Telstra shares slipped to $4.99 after the appointment of former Nat'l
Farmers Federation Pres, Donald McGauchie, as chairman.
The All Ords dropped 28 points to end the day at 3,507.
On FX markets, the Greenspan testimony has boosted the US dollar, as
it reinforced the expectation of rising American interest rates.
As a result, the Aussie currency has fallen below 73 US cents.
At 7.00 am it was being quoted at 72.78 US cents which is down one 3rd
of a cent from yesterday's local close.
On the cross rates, it is at 0.5903 euros, 79.11 Japanese yen, 39.29
pence sterling and against the NZ dollar it is at 1.116.
The gold price has dropped to $US400.15/oz.
West Texas crude oil is trading at about $US40.86/bbl.
Brace for quicker rate hikes if inflation rises: Greenspan
Washington (Kyodo). US Fed Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan has
indicated that the central bank is ready to increase interest rates
more quickly if inflationary pressure accelerates.
While reiterating that the Fed Reserve aims at continuing to raise
interest rates at a "measured" pace, Dr Greenspan said, "even if
economic developments dictate that the stance of policy must be
adjusted in a less gradual manner to ensure price stability, our
economy appears to have prepared itself for a more dynamic adjustment
of interest rates".
"We need, as always, to be prepared for the unexpected and to respond
promptly and flexibly as situations warrant," Mr Greenspan said in
semi-annual testimony before Congress.
On Jun 30, the Fed Reserve carried out its 1st interest rate hike in 4
y, raising the key short-term interest rate by 0.25 pts to 1.25% amid
the US economic expansion.
The Fed Reserve last tightened its monetary grip in May 2000, raising
the target for the fed funds rate, which banks charge each other for
overnight loans, by 0.5 point to 6.5%.
Beginning in Jan 2001, the Fed Reserve implemented 13 rate reductions
by Jun 2003, bringing down the target to 1%, the lowest since 1958, to
help reinvigorate the sluggish economy and nip deflation in the bud.
Canada's govt under pressure over WTO compromise
Toronto (AFP). Canada's govt came under stiff pressure from the
crucial agriculture lobby, over a proposed compromise designed to kick
start stuttering world trade talks.
The Canadian Wheat Board, a quasi-govt'l body charged with marketing
the country's wheat exports, warned that the deal was unfair to
Canadian farmers.
"The proposed language is especially unfair because the CWB does not
engage in unfair trading practices," said Ken Ritter of the CWB board
of directors in a letter to the Canadian govt.
He said the draft language at the WTO enshrined a misconception that
state trading enterprises like the CWB engaged in trade distortion and
complained that it would allow European and US subsidies to escape elimination.
"A WTO panel recently struck down the latest US govt attempt to
discredit the CWB. It ruled that the CWB has no incentive to operate
on any basis other than strict commercial considerations."
"In contrast, the massive agricultural supports of the EU and US are
widely acknowledged to be major causes of trade distortion."
"These are in no way parallel to the effects of the CWB. Yet the subsidies
of the US and EU will only be subjected to disciplines, not elimination."
The World Trade Organisation last wk proposed that its 147 member
countries eliminate subsidies and credits on agricultural exports in a
bid to boost stalled global commerce talks.
Origin targets $3 bn NZ purchase
Auckland (Reuters). Edison Internat'l of the US has agreed to sell
its 51.2% stake in NZ gas and power retailer Contact Energy to Origin
Energy for $NZ1.14 bn [$A1.02 bn] cash plus assumed debt.
Origin, AUS's 2nd largest energy retailer, also will assume $NZ535 mn
of underlying Contact debt, for a total consideration of $NZ1.67 bn to Edison.
Under New Zealand securities rules, Origin must now offer to acquire
100 % of Contact shares by offering the same terms to minority
shareholders, bankers familiar with the transaction said.
Based on Contact's total shares outstanding, Origin could pay about
$NZ3.3 bn for Contact, New Zealand's 3rd largest publicly traded
company and its largest listed power company.
The transaction requires approval by the NZ Takeovers Panel and is
expected to close in the 3rd or 4th quarter.
Contact shares closed at $NZ5.94 in local trading on Tue. Spokesmen
from Edison and Origin declined to comment on the transaction.
The sale of Contact marks the 1st agreement following Edison's
decision in Nov to divest 14 power plants and companies located in
Europe, Asia, AUS, NZ and Puerto Rico.
US investigates Sudan genocide claims
Washington (AP). State Dept officials are interviewing refugees from
Sudan's Darfur region to determine whether widespread abuses there can
be legally described as genocide.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Colin Powell said he is "completely
dissatisfied" with the security situation in Darfur, an expanse of
desert along Sudan's 600-km border with Chad. He acknowledged some
marginal improvements in the humanitarian situation there in recent weeks.
The US has been pushing for a UN Sec Council resolution that could
impose sanctions against the Sudanese govt, accused of supporting Arab
militias blamed for atrocities against the black African population.
Sudanese For Min Mustafa Osman Ismail has warned that any UN action
would only complicate efforts to resolve the situation.
A US draft resolution demands that Sudan immediately fulfil all its
commitments to end violence in Darfur and to give access to aid workers.
It also urges the Sudanese to conclude a political agreement without
delay, and it commits all states to target sanctions against the
govt-backed militias held responsible for the crisis.
With more than 1.2 mn Darfur residents displaced and tens of 1000s
killed, independent analysts are seeking a US declaration that the
atrocities meet the legal definition of genocide as outlined in a 1946
internat'l agreement.
The dictionary defines genocide as "the systematic killing of a racial
or cultural group."
State Dept rep Richard Boucher said Tue US officials have been
interviewing Sudanese refugees who have crossed the border into Chad.
He said 50 have been interviewed thus far with 1,000 or more to go.
"We'll be reviewing it from a legal point of view to see if at some
point that evidence constitutes evidence of genocide," Boucher said.
But, he said, the 1st priority is to stop the violence and to meet the
humanitarian needs of the people.
Boucher added that enough info may emerge from the initial stages of
the interviews to make a determination on whether genocide has taken place.
Under the Genocide Convention, any member state "may call upon the
competent organs of the UN to take such action under the Charter of
the UN as they consider appropriate for the prevention and suppression
of acts of genocide."
Powell said not enough is being done to break the hold of the militias
responsible for the suffering in Darfur.
"Rapes are still occurring," he said. "People do not feel safe leaving
the camps to go out and forage for food. The situation remains very,
very serious, and 1st and foremost, the security has to be dealt with."
Sudan rejects human rights report on Darfur
Khartoum (AFP). The Sudanese govt has slammed a report by Human
Rights Watch over the strife-torn W region of Darfur and accused the
organisation of attempting to provoke the UN Sec Council into imposing
sanctions against the country.
Human Rights Watch charged in a report that Sudanese govt officials
are directly involved in recruiting, arming and other support to the
Janjaweed militia that terrorise the black population of Darfur.
"It is nothing new of this organisation to take up this role that
raises suspicion," Sudanese Foreign Min Mustafa Ismail told
journalists, referring to the US-based watchdog.
"The suspicion in the aims of the organisation is particularly raised
by the timing it has chosen for releasing its report," Mr Ismail said,
adding that HRW intended to pressure the UN Sec Council into adopting
a resolution imposing sanctions against Sudan.
The Darfur region is in the throes of what the UN has described as the
world's worst humanitarian crisis, with a major famine looming and
humanitarian relief operations hampered by rains.
Up to 30,000 people have been killed in Darfur since rebel groups rose
up in Feb 2003, prompting a heavy-handed response from Sudanese forces
and govt-sponsored Arab militia.
Citing Sudanese govt documents, the Human Rights Watch called for an
immediate, strongly worded UN resolution that sanctions Khartoum and
govt officials responsible for crimes against humanity.
It said the confidential documents in its possession implicate
high-ranking govt officials in a policy of militia support.
"It's absurd to distinguish between the Sudanese govt forces and the
militias, they are one," said Peter Takirambudde, executive director
of Human Rights Watch's Africa Division.
"These documents show that militia activity has not just been
condoned, it's been specifically supported by Sudan govt officials."
Mr Ismail rejected the report as "lies" and said the documents used to
back its assertions are "100% false".
He said he was planning to telephone UN Sec-Gen Kofi Annan and explain
to him Khartoum's viewpoint on the developments in Sudan.
New report backs Iraq WMD claims -- Chairman Warner
Washington (AP). An upcoming report will contain "a good deal of new
info" backing up the Bush Admin's contention that Saddam Hussein
pursued weapons of mass destruction, Senate Armed Services Committee
Chairman John Warner, R-Va, said Tue.
The Admin cited Saddam's hunger for such weapons as a main reason to
invade Iraq last y.
"I'm not suggesting dramatic discoveries," Warner told reporters, but
"bits and pieces that Saddam Hussein was clearly defying" internat'l
restrictions, "and he and his govt had a continuing interest in
maintaining the potential to shift to production of various types of
WMD in a short period of time."
The report is by the civilian head of the Iraq Survey Group, Charles
Duelfer, who reports to the CIA director.
Initially the report was expected to be done this summer, but instead
it will come out in Sep, Warner said.
Warner said the new info covers "some weapons that predate the 1st
Gulf War that are still around and were used at the time Saddam
Hussein used chemical weapons against the Iranians" as well as
"remnants of what he was doing himself here in the last several
years." He would not elaborate, saying he didn't want to pre-empt the report.
The senator made the comments after a closed briefing by Maj Gen Keith
Dayton, who updated the panel on the Iraq Survey Group's progress.
Dayton returned from Iraq last m after giving up his post as the
military head of the hunt for weapons as part of a routine rotation.
Marine Brig Gen Joseph J McMenamin became director of the Iraq Survey
Group on Jun 12.
The intel community, meanwhile, hopes the trials and interrogations of
"high-level detainees" by the new Iraqi govt could yield more info
about Saddam's weapons programs, Warner said.
"The Iraqi people are still concerned that some remnants of this
program are yet to be found," Warner said.
A defence official speaking on condition of anonymity Tue, said the
survey group has not yet found any new evidence of Saddam
weapons. While there are "all kinds of documents" showing his intent
to produce WMD, there is "no treasure map that shows 'Here is where
the missing munitions are,'" the official said.
Iraq requests return of UN nuclear inspectors
Baghdad (Reuters). Iraq has asked the UN nuclear watchdog agency to
send inspectors to conduct an inventory of the country's nuclear material.
The agency's head also said UN arms experts should also return to
finish their job.
Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the Internat'l Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),
said inspectors charged with the task of verifying the status of
Iraq's nuclear material would return to Baghdad soon.
"We received an official request from [Iraqi Foreign Min] Hoshiyar
Zebari for the return of internat'l inspectors in the coming days," Mr
ElBaradei said.
Unlike their pre-war counterparts, these inspectors will not be
searching for signs of a nuclear weapons program in Iraq.
Instead, they will be performing a routine task that even Iraq's
ousted Pres Saddam Hussein allowed the UN agency to carry out after
barring UN weapons inspectors from Iraq in the wake of US and Brit
bombing raids in Dec 1998.
The IAEA said it hoped it would be a step towards a resumption of full
inspections.
"This is a necessary requirement, that the IAEA conducts this
inventory," IAEA rep Melissa Fleming said.
"That said, the IAEA is looking forward to the UN Sec Council
revisiting its mandate for the IAEA to return to Iraq to rule out any
reconstitution of a clandestine nuclear weapons program."
In 4 m of inspections before the war started in March 2003, the IAEA
never found any signs that Saddam had revived his nuclear weapons
program despite US and Brit assertions that he was pursuing nuclear arms.
However, in its pre-war reports to the Sec Council, the IAEA never
ruled out the possibility that US and Brit charges were true.
2 UN agencies hunted for banned weapons in Iraq before last y's invasion.
Mr ElBaradei's IAEA handled nuclear inspections, while the UNMOVIC agency
was charged with looking for chemical, biological and ballistic arsenals.
When an interim Iraqi govt formally took power in Jun, Mr ElBaradei
said UN inspectors were ready to begin talks with the new Admin to
arrange a return.
UN inspectors to return to Iraq
Cairo (Herald Sun). International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
inspectors will return to Iraq in the coming days at the request of
the new govt, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said today.
"The IAEA will send a team of inspectors to Iraq in the coming days
following an official request from Iraqi For Min Hoshyar Zebari,"
Mohamed ElBaradei told journalists on his arrival in Cairo.
"The return of inspectors to Iraq is an absolute necessity, not to
search for WMD, but to draft the final report on the absence of
WMDs in Iraq so that the internat'l community can lift the [remaining]
sanctions on Iraq," he said.
Claims that Saddam Hussein's regime had banned weapons were used by
the US and its top ally Brit as a justification for going to war on
Iraq in March 2003.
But the IAEA indicated it had found no evidence to back up charges
that Saddam's regime had a nuclear weapons program.
"It does not fall within the competence of the coalition forces... to
prove or disprove the possession by Iraq of weapons of mass destruction,"
said Mr ElBaradei.
"The IAEA is the only competent party in this matter," he said, adding
"internat'l inspectors will complete the mission assigned to them
before the invasion".
The UN experts left Iraq just before the US-led war in March 2003 and
the UN Sec Council lifted all sanctions on the country 2 months later,
except for an arms embargo.
In Vienna, an IAEA rep said an exact date had not yet been set for
inspectors to return for what she described as a routine mission to
check sites already under IAEA safeguards.
Washington had opposed the IAEA returning to Iraq, but the US-led
coalition formally ended its 14-m occupation on Jun 28, handing power
to a caretaker govt.
Mr ElBaradei said earlier this y that his agency would need UN Sec
Council approval to return to Iraq and then "would obviously have to
weigh the security situation".
IAEA rep Melissa Fleming said the agency did not yet have the required
UN mandate and that security arrangements were being assessed.
She said the inspectors would at this point only carry out routine
inspections of facilities already under IAEA safeguards, such as the
Tawaitha nuclear storage centre S of Baghdad which has received
regular visits even when inspections were suspended.
Mr ElBaradei said the IAEA's mandate in Iraq will "remain valid until
the writing of the inspectors' final report, on the basis of which the
sanctions imposed on Iraq will be lifted".
The US govt announced on Jul 6 it had secretly removed more than 1.7
tonnes of enriched uranium and other radioactive materials from Iraq
that could potentially be used to manufacture a "dirty" radiological
bomb or support a nuclear weapons program.
The IAEA and the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission
(UNMOVIC) are the 2 UN agencies charged with finding WMD in Iraq. The
IAEA led the search for nuclear weapons, UNMOVIC for biological and
chemical weapons, as well as rockets.
A US search for mass destruction weapons -- the principal
justification for the invasion -- has found nothing.
Mr ElBaradei has said he "would like to 1st finish the job of
verifying past programs, report to the Sec Council and then move on to
an ongoing monitoring and verification phase... then when things
stabilise in Iraq completely... go back to normal safeguards".
Blair defiant over Iraq weapons intel
London (AFP). A defiant Brit PM Tony Blair has hit back at critics of
his decision to go to war in Iraq based on intel later condemned as
flawed, insisting he had made "the right decision".
In a crucial parliamentary debate about an official inquiry last wk
which found that much of the pre-war intel about Iraq's weapons of
mass destruction (WMDs) had turned out to be unreliable, Mr Blair was
unrepentant.
"I still think we made the right decision," he said of last y's US-led
war to remove Saddam Hussein, strongly supported by the PM despite
heavy opp'n at home.
An inquiry team led by former top civil servant Lord Robin Butler
cleared Blair last Wed of any deliberate wrongdoing but cast doubt on
much of the info about Baghdad's illegal weapons stocks.
Mr Blair has since come under intense pressure from opponents to
explain how he interpreted this seemingly shaky intel as showing
Baghdad posed an immediate threat to the West, his primary argument
for backing the war.
However in a combative performance, Mr Blair stuck to his guns, saying
the intel had was overwhelming at the time.
"The intel really left little doubt about Saddam Hussein and WMD," Mr
Blair told parliament.
The info "made it absolutely clear that we were entirely entitled on
the basis of that to go back to the UN and say there was a continuous
threat from Saddam Hussein," he said.
Facing a barrage of hostile questions from lawmakers, Mr Blair
insisted Saddam's intentions had been obvious, irrespective of whether
or not any actual weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) were found
following the fall of Baghdad.
"It was absolutely clear that he [Saddam] had every intention to carry
on developing these weapons, that he was procuring materials to do so
and that, for example in respect of ballistic missiles, he was going
way beyond what was permitted by the UN," Mr Blair said.
The PM also vehemently defended his decision to go to war, saying Brit
had entered into it "with a clear conscience and a strong heart".
"Removing Saddam was not a war crime, it was an act of liberation for the
Iraqi people," he said to cheers from members of his ruling Labour Party.
However the prime minister also announced that he would make some
changes to the way the govt dealt with intel following criticisms in
the Butler report.
The Joint Intel Committee, which co-ordinates intel efforts, would not
be used to draw up any future documents setting out the case for a
war, while all further documents would also include any caveats
expressed by intel sources, he announced.
This was in response to a Brit govt dossier on Iraq's WMDs issued by
the govt in Sep 2002, which has been at the centre of allegations Mr
Blair and his ministers hyped up the case for war.
Also, an informal group of ministers and intel chiefs which met often
before the war -- a situation criticised by Lord Butler -- would in
future operate "formally as an ad hoc committee of Cabinet", Mr Blair said.
Mr Blair's opinion poll ratings dived after no WMDs were found in
Iraq, leaving the PM open to charges he duped the nation into going to war.
Even though Lord Butler exonerated Mr Blair of wrongdoing, the Brit
public appear sceptical, with a survey in Tue's Guardian newspaper
finding that 55% of people think Mr Blair was untruthful over Iraq.
SARS whistleblower released from detention
Beijing. An elderly doctor who blew the whistle on China's SARS
outbreak last year has been released from almost 2 m detention. Dr
Jiang Yanyong was detained in Jun after he called for a political
reassessment of China's 1989 Tiananmen protests. After undergoing
what sources have called "brainwashing sessions", Chinese authorities
have released him. The 72-yo semi-retired military doctor was hailed
a hero last year in China after he exposed that authorities were lying
about the number of SARS infections in Beijing. Dr Jiang's fame
however did not spare him from being detained when he ventured into
more sensitive issues. The physician's family says he has returned to
his Beijing home but is under strict instructions not to talk to the media.
US welcomes hostage release, regrets pullout
Philippine soldiers have left Iraq.
Washington (AFP). The US said it was pleased with the release of a
Filipino hostage from captors in Iraq but maintained that Manila's
decision to give in to the kidnappers' demands was wrong.
"We're always glad to see somebody who has been in captivity get
released," State Dept rep Richard Boucher said.
"It's good to see that he's safe."
"Our policy on how this came about has certainly not changed."
Manila's decision to bow to the militants' pressure to pull out its
51-strong military contingent drew sharp rebukes from Baghdad,
Washington and CBR, who feared it would only further fuel a hostage
crisis that has engulfed Iraq since Apr.
The Philippine govt has ignored the criticism, saying its actions were
consistent with its nat'l interest.
Sec of State Colin Powell had said that giving in to kidnappers only
encouraged them, and praised by name S Korea and Bulgaria, both of
which have troops in Iraq, for "not blinking and not faltering even
though they are being tested mightily by kidnappings and by beheadings".
"This kind of action cannot be allowed to succeed anywhere in the 21st
century, above all not Iraq," Mr Powell said.
"In these difficult times we have to remain steadfast."
Philippine "weakness" won't stop terrorists: Howard
Canberra. AUS's PM says the early withdrawal of Philippines troops
from Iraq is a mistake which will embolden terrorists.
John Howard told S Cross Radio the Philippines may pay a high price
for the action to save the life of one its citizens kidnapped in Iraq.
"I don't believe you can negotiate with terrorists, I don't believe in
the long run it is going to buy the Philippines any greater immunity
from future terrorist attacks," he said.
"The record of Al Qaeda and other organisations is that they hold
weakness in contempt, that if people make concessions, in the medium
and longer term they will still pursue those people and they will see
them as a softer and more vulnerable target."
Manila's decision to bow to the militants' pressure to pull out its
51-strong military contingent also drew sharp rebukes from Baghdad and
Washington, who feared it would only further fuel a hostage crisis
that has engulfed Iraq since Apr.
The Philippine Govt has ignored the criticism, saying its actions were
consistent with its nat'l interest.
The United States said it was pleased with the release of a Filipino
hostage from captors in Iraq but maintained that Manila's decision to
give in to the kidnappers' demands was wrong.
Zarqawi group demands Japan quit Iraq, warns Muslim countries
Baghdad (Bloomberg) A group headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a
Jordanian linked to al-Qaeda, today demanded Japan withdraw its troops
from Iraq to save its citizens in the country from attacks, according
to a statement on an Islamic website.
"We have a message to the Japanese govt: Follow in the footsteps of
the Philippines. We will not show mercy to anyone who backs Iraq
because you are only protecting Americans," the Khaled Bin al-Waleed
Brigade, a wing of the Tawhid and Jihad group, said in the statement
posted on the Mountada al-Ansar Web site.
The Philippines yesterday completed the early withdrawal of its 51
soldiers in Iraq to meet a demand by kidnappers who seized truck
driver Angelo de la Cruz, a Filipino working in the country, on Jul
7. He was released today.
Zarqawi's group warned majority-Muslim countries such as Jordan,
Turkey, Iran, Indonesia and Malaysia against sending troops to Iraq
and vowed to strike any Arab or Muslim forces that assist the US-led
coalition. Muslim and Arab soldiers will be attacked by car bombs if
they serve in Iraq, the group said.
Iraqi leaders and the US have accused Zarqawi of being behind many
attacks in Iraq, including the assassination of Iraqi Governing
Council leader Ezzedine Salim and the beheading of American civilian
Nicholas Berg.
The US has carried out air strikes on buildings alleged to have been
used by Zarqawi supporters in Fallujah, W of Baghdad. The US this m
raised to $25 mn the reward for info leading to Zarqawi's capture.
The Arabic-language Mountada al-Ansar Web site promotes the ouster of
Westerns from the Arab peninsula and has carried threats against Iraqi
interim PM Ayad Allawi.
Pinochet faces new charges
Washington (AFP). Former Chilean dictator Augo Pinochet has faced
charges over secret $multi-mn US bank accounts, possibly tainting with
corruption his regime already known for its human rights abuses.
Chilean lawyers Carmen Hertz and Alfonso Insunza laid their charges
after a US congressional investigation found that Riggs Bank, in
Washington, DC, had ignored banking regulations to engage in money
laundering between 1994 and 2002.
"Chilean justice must investigate however many crimes Pinochet has
committed," Hertz said after entering the charges at Santiago's Court
of Appeals.
"I have no prior indications to establish the origin of these accounts
nor of the funds that were deposited in those accounts," Pinochet
lawyer Pablo Rodriguez admitted after a meeting of the retired
general's defence team.
US Pres George W Bush, as he met Chilean Pres Ricardo Lagos in the
Whitehouse Oval Office on Mon, promised a "full investigation" into
whether Riggs discreetly helped Pinochet hide assets after his arrest
in London, when in Oct 1998 Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon issued a
warrant for his capture.
The 165-yo Riggs, which has held accounts for US Pres's, faces
allegations that it illegally laundered money for foreign officials,
including Pinochet.
Last week, a congressional report detailed a series of transactions
between the bank and Pinochet. It concluded that regulators ignored or
acted too slowly in taking action against Riggs.
Hertz and Insunza are 2 of 7 lawyers who 4 y ago brought charges
against Pinochet for some of the more than 3,000 deaths officially
recognised to have occurred during the military regime 1973-1990.
However, the case was closed in 2002 when Chile's Supreme Court found
that Pinochet, now 88, suffered from "moderate" dementia rendering him
unable to defend himself.
"Pinochet has committed crimes against the general interests of at
least 3 countries: Chile, Spain and the US and the crime of fraud
against the families of the victims of his crimes that we take before
Spanish courts," Hertz said.
Hertz's husband was killed soon after the military took power in 1973,
for which Pinochet had been charged but never faced trial.
Spain dynamite smuggling probe
Madrid (AP). Police were tipped off more than a y ago that someone in
N Spain was looking to sell a large quantity of what turned out to be
the same explosives used in the Madrid train bombings, but
investigations led nowhere, a snr paramilitary official has testified.
"The alarm bells never went off. The controls, the follow-ups failed,"
Civil Guard Col Felix Hernando Martin said at the parliamentary
hearing into the March 11 terror attack that killed 190 people and
injured more than 2,000.
Hernando said an informer told them in early 2003 that a man named
"Emilio" in the N region of Asturias was marketing some 150 kg of Goma
2 Eco dynamite he claimed to have stolen from a mine where he once worked.
The same type of industrial dynamite was used in the train bombings.
Emilio Suarez Trashorras was later jailed on charges of supplying the
explosives to the suspected Islamist militants who carried out the attacks.
Hernando testified that there had been nothing then to link the
dynamite with any possible terrorist attack.
Throughout the day, he and other Civil Guards testified that small
quantities of explosives regularly went missing in Spain and that
there was, as yet, no way of controlling this.
Hernando explained there was a thriving black market for such
explosives, mostly for such uses as illegal land development.
Spain's new Socialist govt recently announced it intended to step up
controls of explosives as a result of the attacks.
Hernando added that police went to Asturias in 2003, filed a report
and kept up contacts with the informer. But they obtained no further
info about the explosives.
The informer, Rafael Zouhier, contacted police again March 16, 5 days
after the attacks, when he recognised some of the suspects from photos
shown on TV.
Zouhier was later jailed and charged with collaborating with an armed
group. He claims he's innocent.
The Islamist militants blamed for the attacks are believed to have
obtained the explosives in exchange for money and hashish, and
allegedly said they wanted it for mining in Morocco.
The parliamentary commission, which began Jul 6, is trying to clarify
how the attacks were carried out and how security forces and the
conservative Popular Party govt then in office handled the crisis.
It is looking into allegations that the Popular Party govt at the time
tried to hold back evidence indicating Islamic involvement for fear it
would hurt the party in nat'l elections 3 days later. It lost to the
Socialists.
US anti-terror efforts gain favour
Washington (AFP). More than 2/3 of Americans believe US Pres George W
Bush's Admin has done a good job in fighting terrorism, according to a poll.
The poll, conducted by the Pew Research Centre for the People and the
Press, showed 53% of respondents felt the govt had done its job
"fairly well" and 18% felt it was "doing very well."
The group noted the approval rating for the war on terrorism has
remained relatively unchanged over the past 2 y. In Aug 2003, 75% said
they believed the Admin was doing well at fighting terrorism, compared
with 76% in Aug 2002.
Despite US govt warnings of the risk of a major terrorist attack on
the US leading up to the Nov 2 presid'l election, the number of
Americans saying they were very concerned about a potential attack
dropped from 25% in Jun to 17% in Jul.
Still, a majority of Americans believe that terror networks' ability
to attack the US remains just as great as or greater than it was at
the time of the Sep 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
24% believe terrorists have a greater capability now than they did in
2001, and 39% believe they have the same capability.
However, 34% of the 2,009 respondents to the Jul 8-18 poll believed it
was more difficult for terrorists to carry out an attack successfully
on US soil now.
9/11 Report won't say attacks preventable
Washington (AP). The Sep 11 commission's final report won't declare
that the worst terrorist attack in US history was preventable, though
some panelists said during the 20-m investigation they believed the
hijackers could have been stopped.
In the end, the panel's 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans did not want to
draw a conclusion on that major point, believing it could open the way
to partisan sniping in a presid'l election year.
"My personal view is that the intel system we have has been broken for
a long time," said Republican commissioner John Lehman, a former Navy
secretary. "But we wanted to let the American people make up their
mind. They don't need our editorialising."
The 500-plus-page report will be released Thu. Republican chairman
Thomas Kean, a former NJ governor, and Democratic vice chairman Lee
Hamilton, a former congressman from Indiana, began briefing
congressional leaders Tue. Kean and Hamilton will meet with Pres
Bush's nat'l security adviser,
Condoleezza Rice, and Whitehouse counsel Alberto Gonzalez on Wed,
presid'l rep Scott McClellan said.
Besides calling for a new Cabinet-level intel chief, the report will
recommend combining the House and Senate intel committees and removing
term limits from members, said House majority whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
Currently, the limits are set at 8 y for senators and 6 years for
House members, with some exceptions that can extend to 10 years. Blunt
said removing term limits is a "particularly bad idea," explaining
that members would become overly ingrained within the intel community.
"The process of having oversight is to have someone watching, not part
of the process, but carefully watching," he said.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill, said Congress will carefully
consider the panel's recommendations but doesn't believe there is time
this y to undertake any major intel revisions.
In recent interviews with The Associated Press, commissioners said the
report will fault Congress for poor oversight of intel gathering and
criticise govt agencies for their emergency responses to the 2001
attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Penn.
The harshest criticism will be levelled at the FBI and CIA, with the
panel citing poor info sharing and intel analysis as key factors that
allowed the hijackers to carry out their plot. Both Kean and Hamilton
have said the attacks conceivably could have been prevented had govt
officials done their jobs better.
Commissioners won't point to individuals in the Clinton or Bush Admins,
instead laying out what they consider a factual accounting of events.
"What's worked for us all along is looking at what the facts are and
not trying to put any spin," said Democratic commissioner Jamie
Gorelick, a former deputy A-G. "We will lay out the facts with as much
particularity as we can."
However, several commissioners say those facts could lead readers to
conclude the attacks were preventable had the govt done a better job
following up on intel tips and tracking the 19 hijackers, some of whom
entered the country illegally.
Commissioners have said it is important for them to unanimously endorse
the report so their findings and recommendations are not seen as partisan.
A poll released Tue by the Pew Research Center for the People & the
Press found 61% of Americans believe the commission has done a good
job. The support was nearly even among Republicans and Democrats.
Still, the report is expected to provide fodder for arguments in the
presid'l campaign.
Advisers to Democratic candidate John Kerry have said they hope to use
the report to show that in the summer of 2001 the Bush Admin was
inattentive to threats of a possible attack.
The Clinton Admin, meanwhile, was under fresh scrutiny after fed
authorities said they were investigating former Nat'l Security Adviser
Sandy Berger in connection with the disappearance of highly classified
terrorism documents.
Berger said he inadvertently took some documents from the Nat'l
Archives and later returned them but could not locate 2 or 3 copies of
a highly classified report that concerned al-Qaeda threats during the
Dec 1999 millennium celebration.
A commission rep said that probe wouldn't affect the panel's final report.
Meantime, several relatives of Sep 11 victims said Tue they looked
forward to reading the report and hoped that discussion of the
nation's "colossal systemic failures" will transcend election-y
politics. The commission plans a briefing with relatives Thu before
the report is released.
Commissioners plan an aggressive lobbying effort to push recommended
changes. The panel will split into bipartisan pairs and travel
nationwide for speaking engagements and media appearances.
That lobbying campaign will continue into the fall, even after the
commission formally dissolves on Aug 26, with several members ready to
testify should Congress choose to hold public hearings on the report's
findings and recommendations, said commission rep Al Felzenberg.
"Commissioners have all said they hoped the report would not just go
on a shelf as so many others have," Felzenberg said. "They said they
hoped both presid'l campaigns would endorse the recommendations and
Congress would act."
Suspected wanted activists in Riyadh clash
Riyadh (AFP). A gunfight broke out on Tue night in a N district of
the Saudi capital between security forces and presumed wanted
militants holed up in a house there, AFP has reported.
The shootout erupted when security forces stormed the house in Hisham
bin Abdul Malek Street in the King Fahd neighbourhood at around 11.00
pm local time.
An explosion was heard, and heavy gunfire was continuing an hour and a
half later, after security forces cordoned off the site and police
cars blocked streets leading to the neighbourhood.
Armoured vehicles had been sent into the area.
Al-Arabiya satellite TV reported that there had been casualties in the
fighting.
The incident was taking place ahead of the expiry later this wk of a
royal amnesty offered to radicals, 1st announced on Jun 23.
Since then, the interior ministry has said, 4 people have turned
themselves in.
The authorities have said that the amnesty will not be extended, and
those who opt not to take advantage of it have been threatened with a
harsh crackdown.
13 militants on Saudi Arabia's 26-strong wanted list remain at large.
The others have either been killed in clashes with security forces or
surrendered.
2 days ago, the authorities also announce that 27 Saudis wanted for
security issues had been extradited from abroad.
Experimental vaccine keeps cancer patients disease-free
Melbourne. MEL researchers believe they may have made a significant
discovery in the fight to stop cancer recurring in patients. An
experimental vaccine given to mainly melanoma patients at 2 MEL
hospitals has kept most disease-free for more than 2 years. Associate
Prof Jonathon Cebon from the Austin Hospital, says the vaccine was not
being tested for its ability to stop cancer recurring. He says it has
been an exciting result and new clinical trials will now be undertaken
to confirm whether it has that ability. "We don't know for sure if
this is going to be a fizzer or not," he said. "It's still early days
but we've got enough positive results coming through at the moment to
make us think that we're on to something that may well turn out to be
successful," he said. "If it is, it's something we spend all our
professional lives working for, so it's enormously exciting."
4 US troops killed in Fallujah
Fallujah (AFP). 2 US marines and 2 US soldiers have been killed amid
escalating clashes in Iraq's central Al Anbar province that includes
the town of Fallujah.
The US Central Command said in 2 separate statements that 2 members of
the First Marine Expeditionary Force were killed in action "while
conducting security and stability operations" in the region.
No details have been provided.
The military also announced the death of one Army soldier who was
killed in action on Mon.
Another Army soldier perished during the day of wounds received
earlier, the command said.
Fallujah has been the target of recent US air strikes against
suspected hideouts of Al Qaeda linked militant Abu Mussab Al Zarqawi
that have killed scores of people.
Resistance kills governor of Basra in Iraq
Baghdad (PL). Hazem Taufic Ainachi, interim governor for the province
of Basra, died today after being shot by members of the Iraqi
resistance, whilst a Filipino hostage was released after his country
withdrew its troops from that country.
According to the Qatari TV network Al-Jazeera, the rebels opened fire
with light weapons on the 59-yo official whilst he was on his way to
his office.
The authors of the attack, who managed to escape, also killed 2
bodyguards and injured one other.
Al Jazeera recalled that last Sun Issam Jassem Kadhem, one of the
general directors of the Iraqi Min'y of Defense, was the target of a
similar attack in Baghdad.
Kadhem, who was responsible for the Supplies Dept, was caught unawares
by his attackers whilst returning to his home in the neighbourhood of Saydia.
These attacks on local officials are in line with the opp'n's strategy
of harassing all those who take part in the state apparatus
subservient to the interests of the US.
The TV network also reported that Angelo de la Cruz, a 46-yo Filipino
truck driver, was released today after being held for several days by
an armed gang.
The release of the hostage occurred when the govt in Manila withdrew more
than 50 soldiers taking part in the occupation of Iraq under US command.
The nat'l media commented that the withdrawal of the Filipino
contingent is another fierce blow for the Washington-led
coalition. The contingent has already lost 4 of its members, whilst
others have said that they intend to leave.
2 killed in Samarra
Samarra (AFP). At least 2 Iraqis were killed and 7 injured in the N
city of Samarra, hospital sources said, apparently in explosions.
"We have received 2 dead people and 7 injured, including a child,"
said Doctor Sabri Abdul Hamid at Samarra's main hospital.
Powerful explosions rocked Samarra's N edge nr the Al Qadisiyah
neighbourhood at about 7.00 pm local time, an AFP correspondent said,
although it was not immediately clear what caused them.
Mosques were urging residents over loudspeakers to donate blood.
It was not immediately clear if the latest violence was linked to fighting
between US and Iraqi forces and insurgents holed up inside the city.
The US military in Baghdad said it had no info yet about any fresh
fighting in Samarra.
The city, 125 km N of Baghdad, has been the scene of sporadic deadly
clashes since a powerful suicide car bomb attack on Jul 8 on the
city's Iraqi Nat'l Guard HQ killed 5 US soldiers and 4 Iraqi guardsmen.
Japan defies Iraq terror threat
Tokyo (AP). The Japanese govt has no plans to withdraw troops from
Iraq despite a terror threat allegedly made by an Islamic militant group.
An online statement attributed to the Tawhid and Jihad group said that
"queues of cars laden with explosives are awaiting" Japanese troops if
the Japanese govt did not follow the example of the Philippines and withdraw.
But a FM'y official said the statement's reliability was being looked
into amid media reports that the group later disowned the statement.
"Japan plans to continue its activities in Iraq," the official said.
"Japan is in Iraq on a humanitarian mission. "The Iraqi people and
govt are grateful for its efforts."
Tawhid and Jihad is considered one of the most dangerous groups
fighting coalition forces in Iraq.
The group, led by al-Qaeda-linked militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has
claimed responsibility for attacks on US troops and Iraqi police and
security forces that have killed 100s, as well as the beheading of
American, Bulgarian and S Korean hostages.
UN vote demands Israel tear down barrier
NY (ABC/Reuters). The UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to
demand Israel obey a World Court ruling and tear down its W Bank
barrier, but AUS has joined Israel and the US in opposing the resolution.
The vote in the 191-nation assembly was 150-6, with 10 abstentions.
The tiny Pacific states of Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau
also voted 'no'.
Israel, which does not have to obey the General Assembly ruling, has
said it will be ignored.
Only a UN Security Council resolution would be binding, which the US,
as permanent member, would be expected to block.
All 25 European Union countries voted in support of the
Palestinian-drafted measure after its Arab sponsors approved a series
of amendments proposed by the EU bloc over days of intense negotiations.
Palestinian UN representative Nasser al Kidwa says the vote against Israel
was the most historic moment since the partition of Palestine in 1947.
"The resolution of the General Assembly today, specially adopted with
such overwhelming majority also represent very important development,"
he said.
"That this indeed could be the most important resolution of the
general assembly since the adoption of Resolution 181 of 1947."
The US, Israel's closest ally, voted "no" after US Deputy Ambassador
James Cunningham warned that the resolution was unbalanced and could
further undermine the goal of a Middle E in which Israeli and
Palestinian states live side by side in peace.
"All sides are now focused on Gaza and partial W Bank withdrawal as a
way to restart the progress towards this vision," he told the assembly.
Israeli UN ambassador Dan Gillerman criticised the vote.
"Mr Pres, allow me to start with a vote of thanks. Thank God that the fate
of Israel and of the Jewish people is not decided in this hall," he said.
"This resolution cannot but embolden those who are the true enemies of
the Israeli and Palestinian people."
Mr Gillerman says harmful and politicised interests within the UN took
control of the process to hijack the vote.
The World Court ruled on Jul 9 that the barrier, which is still under
construction, was illegal because it cuts deep into W Bank land to
shield settlements built by Israel on territory it seized in the 1967
Middle E War.
Israel says the barrier is only temporary and argues the combination
of razor-tipped fencing and concrete is needed to keep out suicide bombers.
Palestinians see the 600 km project as a land grab that would thwart
their dream of statehood.
UN Assembly tells Israel to tear down barrier
UN (Reuters). The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Tue to
demand that Israel obey a World Court ruling and tear down its W Bank barrier.
The vote in the 191-nation assembly was 150-6, with 10 abstentions.
All 25 European Union countries voted in support of the
Palestinian-drafted measure after its Arab sponsors approved a series
of amendments proposed by the EU bloc over days of intense negotiations.
However, the US, Israel's closest ally, voted "no" after US Deputy
Ambassador James Cunningham warned that the resolution was unbalanced
and could further undermine the goal of a Middle E in which Israeli
and Palestinian states live side by side in peace.
"All sides are now focused on Gaza and partial W Bank withdrawal as a
way to restart the progress toward this vision," he told the assembly.
Israeli also voted 'No' and denounced the vote.
"Thank God that the fate of Israel and of the Jewish people is not
decided in this hall," Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman said after the
vote. "This resolution cannot but embolden those who are the true
enemies of the Israeli and Palestinian people."
The World Court ruled on Jul 9 that the barrier, which is still under
construction, was illegal because it cuts deep into W Bank land to
shield settlements built by Israel on territory it seized in the 1967
Middle E War.
Israel says the barrier is only temporary and argues the combination
of razor-tipped fencing and concrete is needed to keep out suicide bombers.
But Palestinians see the 600-km project as a land grab that would
thwart their dream of statehood.
Violence flares on Israel-Lebanon border
Beirut. A Hezbollah militant has been reportedly killed and 2 Israeli
soldiers seriously wounded in exchanges of fire on the Israel-Lebanon
border. The violence follows the assassination of a Hezbollah
official yesterday. Hezbollah snipers opened fire on the Israeli army
post of Nurit along the N border, seriously injuring 2 soldiers.
Israel returned fire, hitting a Hezbollah position and killing a
gunman -according to Lebanese forces. It is the 2nd day of tension on
the border after the militant group blamed Israel for a car bomb that
exploded in a Beirut suburb on Mon, killing a Hezbollah official.
Hezbollah fighter, 2 Israelis killed in clash
Beirut (Reuters). Lebanon's Hezbollah has killed 2 Israeli soldiers
and lost one of their own fighters in border clashes, a day after the
group accused Israel of killing a top Hezbollah member.
Witnesses said Israeli helicopter gunships and tanks fired on at least
2 Hezbollah positions.
Artillery fire boomed as the helicopters hovered overhead.
In the early evening, 2 Israeli warplanes flew over Beirut, breaking
the sound barrier and drawing anti-aircraft fire from Lebanese and
Syrian army posts, security sources said.
The sonic boom shattered windows in some parts of the capital.
An Israeli military source said the overflight was "a message to the
govt of Lebanon" to better control the S border area.
The Israeli army said 2 of its soldiers were killed by Hezbollah fire
while repairing equipment on the roof of their post nr the southern border.
Hezbollah said one of its members died but gave no details. The
Lebanese govt filed an official complaint about Israeli actions to the
UN Sec Council, sources in Beirut's foreign ministry said.
The fighting was the most serious since May, when Hezbollah killed an
Israeli soldier and wounded 5 others in a disputed area elsewhere on
the border.
* Conflicting accounts
On Mon, a bomb in Beirut killed a snr Hezbollah member, Ghalib Awali.
Hezbollah accused Israel, which assassinated Hezbollah leader Abbas Al
Mussawi in 1992, of carrying out the attack.
Israel declined comment.
There were conflicting accounts of the latest clash in the south.
Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah said it began when Israeli forces
shelled its positions by the town of Eita Al Shaab.
Israel said Hezbollah had started the fighting and that the Israeli
army would continue to operate against any party "involved in
terrorism against Israeli citizens".
"This was a premeditated sniper attack on one of the outposts,"
Israeli army rep Captain Jacob Dallal told Reuters.
"We responded with fire toward the Hezbollah position."
Hezbollah played a key role in forcing Israel to end its 22-year
occupation of S Lebanon in May 2000.
Hezbollah took up positions on the border after the Israeli withdrawal
and fighting has flared sporadically since then.
The US has called for parties to "exercise maximum restraint" and US
State Dept rep Richard Boucher said the US was following developments closely.
US urges Arafat to give up powers
Washington (Reuters). The US has seized on the unprecedented
challenge to Palestinian Pres Yasser Arafat's leadership and revived
its demand he give up powers to end turmoil in the Gaza Strip.
US Sec of State Colin Powell blamed Mr Arafat for a leadership crisis
in which his PM has threatened to quit because of a lack of power to
undertake reforms.
"It is chaotic at the moment," Mr Powell said.
"We believe the correct path forward involves Mr Arafat yielding
power, real executive power to a prime minister, for that prime
minister to do what is needed for the Palestinian community."
"When that happens, then we can get moving on a [peace] road map."
"We can deal with not only the security problems, but the economic
problems that are afflicting the Palestinian people," he added.
The Bush Admin has sought to sideline Mr Arafat but has been
criticised for doing too little to support PM Ahmed Qurie.
Mr Qurie is frustrated over Mr Arafat's refusal to allow him to reform
Palestinian institutions, particularly the security services.
The US and other internat'l mediators regard reforms as crucial to
reviving peace talks.
Mr Arafat is facing the stiffest test of his leadership since
Palestinians obtained limited self-rule from Israel in Gaza and the
West Bank a decade ago.
A power struggle has erupted between Mr Arafat's old guard and a younger
pro-reform generation staking out turf before Israel implements a plan
to evacuate Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
Fed police arrive on Norfolk Island
Norfolk Is. Aussie Fed Police have arrived on Norfolk Island where
they are investigating the crime scene of the island's 2nd recorded
murder. The Norfolk Island Land and Environment minister Ivens
Buffett was shot while working at the island's Legislative Assembly on
Mon. His 25-yo son, Leith Buffett, made a brief appearance in the
Norfolk Island Magistrate's Court yesterday morning charged with
murder. The Magistrate who handled the matter via a link from CBR,
Ron Cahill, called for Buffett to have a psychiatric assessment. The
ABC understands that the assessment was done by a SYD psychiatrist
last night.
Pope orders inquiry into sexual misconduct allegations
London (ABC, Kirsten Aitken). The Pope has ordered an inquiry into
allegations of sexual misconduct at a Roman Catholic seminary in
Austria. A student priest at the seminary was yesterday charged with
possessing some 10,000 pornographic photographs. The Pope has named
Bishop Klaus Kueng as papal investigator into the diocese which is
also the subject of an ongoing police investigation into allegations
of child abuse. Last wk it was revealed that investigation had
uncovered close to 40,000 pornographic images, some allegedly
including children, others showing intimate relationships between
teachers and students. The Catholic Church is facing a growing number
of calls to replace the head of the diocese, Bishop Kurt Krenn, who
has dismissed the photographs as pranks.
Haiti promised $US1.1 bn in aid
Washington (AFP). Internat'l donors have announced they have promised
$US1.085 bn of aid to Haiti.
The announcement was made at a donors' conference in the US capital.
The promised amount will be added to the nearly $US400 mn already
committed to rebuilding Haiti's economy in the wake of a violent
political crisis that ended with Pres Jean Bertrand Aristide leaving
the country on Feb 29.
The leading contributors include the US, which promised $US230 mn and
the European Union, which came up with $US225 mn.
The Inter-American Development Bank has made a $US260 mn commitment to
Haiti, while the World Bank offered $US150 mn.
Internat'l financial institutions believe it will take about $US1.37
bn to rebuild Haiti, including $US924 mn in new financing.
Internat'l aid agency Oxfam expressed disappointment with the donors'
decision, saying a significant portion of the pledges were for loans not
grants, which will do nothing to ensure faster, deeper debt relief for Haiti.
New dads need more support says research
Newcastle, NSW. A new report on fatherhood in AUS includes strategies
to try to prevent family break-ups. Researchers in Newcastle have
spent the past 5 y collating data for The 'Engaging Fathers Project'.
Its findings will be launched by the Children and Youth Affairs Min,
Larry Anthony in Newcastle today. Chief researcher Richard Fletcher
says the study has found there is an urgent need for more support
services for fathers in the early stages of their child's life.
"There should be much more emphasis, especially much more co-ordinated
emphasis on, how do you intervene early with families to prevent them
breaking up, to make them stronger, to make them more successful
rather than wait till they're falling apart and then doing research on
why and how," he said.
Eadie considers suing AOC
Canberra. Cleared cyclist Sean Eadie may sue the Aussie Olympic
Committee (AOC) over the recent drug allegations. Eadie was cleared
of drug trafficking charges earlier in the wk and is in court today
appealing against his exclusion from the Aussie Olympic team. During
the highly publicised case, the champion cyclist lost a major sponsor
worth $150,000. His manager Kerry Ruffels says there may be grounds
to sue the AOC. "I mean it's not like Sean is 22 y of age and still
has another 10 years ahead of him," he said. "Sean's 35 and he's
toward the end of his career and so his ability to earn a big income
from the sport is very much limited."
Livestock export death rates fall to new low
Perth. A new report shows death rates on livestock export ships have
fallen to their lowest levels on record. The figures come from the WA
Dept of Agriculture which found death rates for sheep in 2003 were
just 1%, while cattle deaths fell by 50% on 2002 figures. Sheep
deaths at the Vic port of Portland were halved and cattle fatalities
dropped by 80%. Kevin Shiell from the live exporters body Livecorp
says it shows new measures put in place by the industry are working.
"Changes that were also introduced into the handling and management of
stock before export I think have all contributed to the improvement,
as well as the improved heat stress risk management approach that's been
taken, all of which were identified through industry research," he said.
Sugar industry launches bio-security plan
Maryborough, Qld. AUS's sugar industry says it is better prepared to
respond to incursions of pests or diseases. It has launched a
bio-security plan in Maryborough in SE Qld to deal with any outbreaks.
Part of the plan involves growing cane that is not susceptible to
major diseases. Cane-growers chairman Alf Christaudo says recent
incursions have highlighted the need to have strategies in place.
"Particularly the fruit fly, the fire ants, the smut in Western AUS
and now the citrus canker makes everyone aware that we need to have
action plans in place," he said. "We've done that. We're one of the
1st industries to get off the ground and have a plan in place and I
think that stands us in very good stead."
More evidence of economic recovery
Melbourne. A key forward indicator of economic activity in AUS
continues to recover. The Westpac/MEL Institute leading index of
economic activity is a gauge of actual growth 6 to 9 m ahead. Today's
reading for May is an annualised growth rate of 3%. Although that is
again below the long-term trend, it is above the Apr measure and well
clear of last Oct's low point of 2.3 per cent. Westpac says the index
suggests that the March quarter will prove to have been the low point
of the economic cycle in AUS and the economy's growth from here on in
will be enough to keep upward pressure on interest rates.
Labor flags ID cards for foreign workers
Canberra. The Labor Party says the introduction of a photo-ID card
for foreign worker in AUS will help remove illegal and exploited
workers from work sites. Labor's immigration rep Stephen Smith says a
recent report from the Aussie Nat'l Audit Office indicates basic
measures have not been developed to combat an estimated 30,000 illegal
foreign workers in AUS. Mr Smith says under a Labor Govt, all foreign
workers will be issued with the card and employers who repeatedly use
illegal workers will face significant fines. "One of our key
immigration proposals is to introduce a foreign workers ID card to
ensure that people who are non-Aussie citizens who are in AUS only
work if they are authorised to work," he said. "We'll employ tough
sanctions on employers who are in breach of that and we'll also ensure
that the dept is adequately resourced."
Govt denies Telstra appointment is sell-off ploy
Rural man: Don McGauchie is to give Telstra credibility with rural customers.
Canberra. The Fed Govt has rejected claims the appointment of Don
McGauchie as Telstra chairman is aimed at softening up resistance to
the full sale of Telstra in the bush.
PM John Howard has strongly endorsed Mr McGauchie's elevation to
Telstra's top job and insists there was no political interference in
the board's decision.
Mr Howard says the full sale of Telstra will not be Mr McGauchie's
major priority, although he concedes the new chairman is aware of and
supports the Govt's policy.
"I got to know Don McGauchie very well when he led the Nat'l Farmers
Federation and I found him a good bloke and a straight shooter," Mr
Howard said.
"He'll do a very good job and he'll have my goodwill and cooperation
but I stress he was the board's choice."
Mr McGauchie has been a Telstra board member since 1998.
Nat'l Party leader John Anderson says the criticisms are "silly" and
Mr McGauchie is the best man for the job.
"He's a skilled operator, he has a proven track record as somebody who
understands how a business operates, how to get the maximum out of
investments," he said.
"He frankly did an outstanding job as the chairman of Country Wide,
which has been one of the Telstra success stories, and bodes very well
for his management of Telstra into the future."
* Union criticism
The Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) says it will
take more than a new Telstra chairman to convince rural Aussies of the
need to privatise the telecommunications company.
The CEPU's Steve Mason says it is obvious the Fed Govt hopes Mr
McGauchie and the new Communications Min will revitalise its push for
the full sale of Telstra.
"The people of AUS are well aware of the problems that Telstra has with
providing a decent service at the moment because of their down-sizing
and the fact that their network itself is so badly degraded," he said.
"I think it will take some effort on their part to even begin to bring
the sale of Telstra back into the forefront of the political argument."
Fed Communications Min Sen Helen Coonan says it is a good appointment
and denies it is meant to ease concerns about Govt plans to sell the carrier.
Finance Min Nick Minchin has praised the appointment.
"Don McGauchie has done a tremendous job in a whole range of areas for
AUS," he said.
Mr McGauchie's appointment follows the sudden resignation of Bob
Mansfield in Apr who said there had been a rupture in the bond of
trust on the board.
The Fed Opp'n says the appointment of Mr McGauchie will alarm financial
markets and not persuade country AUS that Telstra should be privatised.
Labor's Communications rep Lindsay Tanner says Mr McGauchie has no
substantial background in running a telecommunications company and
says the Howard Govt has appointed a political mate to the job.
Mr Tanner says he believes the new chairman is closely associated with
the faction on the Telstra Board which recently ousted his predecessor,
Bob Mansfield.
Defence inquiry to visit Pine Gap
Kim Beazley to visit Pine Gap.
Alice Springs. A Commonwealth Defence committee will this morning
visit the joint defence facility at Pine Gap outside Alice Springs as
a part its inquiry into AUS's military links with the US.
It is expected the Defence sub-committee of the joint Parliamentary
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will receive the most
comprehensive briefing of any of its visits to US operated facility.
Committee member and Labor's defence rep Kim Beazley says Pine Gap is
one of the key components of AUS's alliance with the US.
"I think it's quite important that there are parliamentary committees
that assist with the oversight of the joint facilities...and we've got
very good access, we've got total access as Aussies, but further
guarantee that everything that takes place there acts with our consent
and knowledge," he said.
Mr Beazley told a Labor Party function last night the alliance with
the US is important.
"I happen to be an absolutely devoted supporter of our relationship,"
he said.
Mr Beazley also criticised the Govt for moving too quickly on Iraq to
gain political points.
He said if AUS was a genuine friend it would have told the US that it
was going down the wrong course.
"Not to stand up and say this is not the road you should go is not the
act of a friend," he said.
Mr Beazley is a member of the inquiry into the defence relationship with
the US that will today travel to the joint defence facility at Pine Gap.
Overseas trained doctors offered hand back into profession
Canberra. The Fed Govt will provide up to $1 mn to help 1000s of
overseas-trained doctors currently working in other jobs in AUS back
into medical careers.
The money will go to the Royal Aussie College of General Practitioners
to assess the skills of an estimated 2,500 doctors whose qualifications
are not recognised here, and to identify training requirements for
registration in AUS.
College president Prof Michael Kidd says the move will help address
AUS's doctor shortage.
"We have a medical workforce shortage in AUS at the moment," he said.
"We're relying on bringing in medical graduates from other countries
on a temporary basis into this country while at the same time we have
a significant pool of doctors who've migrated here and are permanent
residents and already part of our community."
"We really have an obligation to try and assist to get these people
into the workforce as well."
Prof Michael Kidd says more needs to be done.
"Certainly the funding will allow the program to get up and running," he said.
"However we believe that we will need to do further work with the
Aussie Govt to assist many of these doctors once they get through the
Aussie Medical Council Examination to then go on to meet he standards
required for unsupervised general practice."
School time capsule 'disappears', ruins garden
GC, Qld. Red-faced staff at a Qld school have been forced to cancel a
special ceremony to mark its 25th anniversary. They were planning to
open a time capsule that was buried in the grounds of St Kevin's
Catholic Primary School on the Gold Coast in 1979. Assistant
Principal Bernadette Swindley says despite days of digging they have
been unable to find the one-metre cylinder. "We can't do anything
about it, it's not there," she said. "We've searched everywhere,
we've turned over 60 cubic metres of soil, we've got huge excavators
in, and the poor groundsman is pulling his hair out because the
garden's been destroyed."
Men over 55 desert Latham
Melbourne (AAP). Opp'n Leader Mark Latham is being deserted by older
men, with those over the age of 55 unhappy with his brand of "new
politics", according to the latest ACNielsen poll.
The poll, published in the Fairfax newspapers, found a slump in
support for both Labor and Mr Latham personally mostly among men, but
also with women, in the 55-plus age group.
Overall, women maintained support for Mr Latham at 43%, but men
overall registered a fall from 42% to 37%.
First preferences for Labor among those aged 55 and over fell from 41%
to 33% in one month.
The poll also found support for the fed govt rose from 49% to 53% and
in this age group the Howard govt increased its advantage from 8%age
points to 20%.
The poll of 1414 respondents, conducted on Jul 16-18, had a margin of
error of 2.6%.
'It's Time' slogan promotes Labor event
Canberra. The Fed Opp'n is using the Whitlam-era election slogan,
"It's Time" to promote a Labor Party fundraising event next m. Labor
leader Mark Latham says the famous phrase appears on a pamphlet
advertising the dinner function but will not be used as the Opp'n's
election campaign slogan. Mr Latham has told SYD commercial radio
station 2GB, the Labor Party is proud of its history but is not living
in the past. "A lot of people say to me the achievements of the
Whitlam govt were very important, particularly in access to the
education system building up Aussie identity and support for the
arts," he said. "There are many fond and important policies that
Aussies look back on from that era so it depends who you are talking
to as ever in politics regarding the record of the Whitlam govt."
Hanson attends Liberal fundraiser
Sydney. The former One Nation Leader, Pauline Hanson has attended a
Liberal Party fundraiser in SYD, as a guest of a party member. The
event at NSW Parliament House yesterday was organised by the fed
Liberal MP Bronwyn Bishop to raise money for the party's Dame Pattie
Menzies Foundation. A rep for Ms Bishop has confirmed Miss Hanson's
appearance, saying she was just another guest at the function which
was attended by more than 300 people. But Labor front-bencher, Wayne
Swan has seized on the issue, saying the PM should rule out any
further involvement by the former One Nation leader in Liberal Party
affairs. "It's not a question of whether she's a threat or not, it's
a question of the Liberal Party cuddling up to Pauline Hanson just
before the election," he said. "It's been now demonstrated by her
participation in this fundraiser and John Howard ought to come out and
rule it out."
Labor plans extra after-hours doctors
The Coalition says Labor has stolen its policy.
Canberra. The Fed Opp'n has promised $128 mn to expand after-hrs GP services.
Labor hopes the move will ease the pressure on public hospitals and
improve access to Medicare.
The plan also includes a nat'l hotline that will help people locate
their nearest GP.
Labor leader Mark Latham announced the policy while campaigning at
Tweed Heads on the NSW-Qld border.
Mr Latham says he is confident doctors will take up work in
after-hours services.
"We have got financial incentives for GP clinics, we have got our
Medicare team approach, which is salaried doctors and nurses," he said.
"In our higher education policy we have got our expansion of doctor
places, doctor training to make sure we overcome the workplace
problems that have become so critical over the last 8 y."
Fed Health Min Tony Abbott says the Govt has already agreed to fund 4
co-located GP clinics in W AUS.
Mr Abbott says Labor has stolen the Coalition's policy.
"We already have a number of co-located GP clinics, including 5 in the
Hunter [Valley], as part of a trial started a couple of years ago," he said.
"I am not against anything that the Opp'n has put out today, I just
think it has taken them a long time to discover what the Govt is
already doing."
I, Robot 'threatens' human supremacy
London. When Isaac Asimov penned I, Robot in 1950, he was tired of
tales of robots becoming Frankenstein-like monsters and turning on
their creators.
Instead he envisaged a far-off world in which 3 laws kept robots in
check, preventing them from harming their human makers.
But as artificial intel and robotics advance, some fear 3 laws would
not be enough to keep robots in line.
Prof of Cybernetics Kevin Warwick can already foresee a time when
humans unwittingly create robots more intelligent than themselves.
He is already preparing to keep pace with the artificial revolution --
acting as a guinea pig for cyborg experiments.
"It's like really walking towards the edge of a cliff because intel
itself, we don't fully understand exactly what it is," Prof Warwick
told Lateline.
Prof Warwick's work in cybernetics is seen by some as visionary and
others as fanciful -- skeptics devote entire web sites to analysing
his media utterances.
Either way, he can already see the day when humans lose control of the
robots they are now striving to create.
"I think we are still some way off it, but some ways in terms of a
decade or 2," he predicted.
And he is adamant we need to start preparing now.
Prof Warwick says films like I, Robot, which is based on Isaac
Asimov's book of short stories by the same name, serve a duel purpose.
"I think it's a good thing that science fiction does raise these sort
of issues, because partly it gives scientists ideas as to what might
be possible in the future, but I think we must face the fact that
robots could be far more intelligent than humans," he said.
"Maybe it's positive but I think if they're more intelligent it could
be very dangerous."
Prof Warwick says advances in the creation of sentient machines with
genuine artificial intel are occurring a many fields, but particularly
in the military.
"It's really looking, over the next 10 to 15 y, at soldiers at pilots
in fighter planes not being human any more," he said.
"In the fighter plane example, it's looking after itself, it's going
into battle itself, not only because of the physical aspects that a
plane of that kind can outperform one where a human pilot is on board,
but also because the computer's thinking is quite simply much faster
and much more accurate in terms of mathematical equation-like
calculations than a human brain is."
* Decision danger
Prof Warwick says the potential danger lies in machines engaging in
decision-making.
"In the film, I Robot it is looking at robots that are making their
own decision and one hopes it's for the good," he said.
"I think in the film the whole concept is that initially those robots
have a program in them that says, 'You don't harm humans', and so on.
"But in the military domain, in the real world, of course, we rely at
the moment on there being a human there to make the main decision to
say, 'Yes, you go for this target', 'This is the person you are nasty
against', as it were."
But this may not always be the case.
"We are getting to the stage very, very shortly, really, within the
next 5 or 10 y where the human making that decision quite simply can't
operate quickly enough," Prof Warwick said.
"The machine is deemed to be better at making the quality decision as
to what's the goal of that robot."
* 3 Laws
Asimov's rules for robots -- including that a robot cannot injure a
human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm --
were designed to keep the development of artificial intel under control.
However, Prof Warwick says Asimov's rules simply do not apply in the
real world.
"I'm amazed that some scientists and some students actually believe
that all robots must have these laws, these rules, actually ingrained
in them," he said.
"The reality is that many machines, even a financial machine is making
a decision that through inaction could cause a whole population or a
whole group of people to suffer, making a decision we don't buy coffee
from Kenya today, we buy coffee from Brazil.
"When we look at the real world, Asimov's rules are, quite simply, not there."
Prof Warwick says robots are usually of value to humans because of
advantages gained through their construction, for example, the ability
to fly or the use of wheels instead of legs.
He says some scientists are trying to get robots to think in the same
way as human intel but that approach ignores the mental advantages
robots have.
"For some people in research maybe that's their goal but mostly, as in
the physical sense, we use machines because... they have physical
advantages, and the same is true mentally," he said.
"The way robots... think has all sorts of advantages, not only the
mathematical, the number-crunching, but the memory capabilities, the
way to think in many, many dimensions, whereas the human brain only
thinks in 3 dimensions."
He says the differences between humans and robots are both advantages
and dangers.
"Thinking of a machine intel to be similar or somehow not as good as
human intel because it can't tell a joke or can't understand a simple
word in English I think is folly," he said.
"It is the differences that are important, and it is the differences
really that are extremely dangerous, because the machine can
outperform humans not only physically but also mentally."
* Program problems
Concepts of programming are not enough to stave off possible disaster.
"It's like when humans have a baby, the baby is programmed genetically
but then the baby starts learning," he said.
"It depends partly on the program certainly but partly on what they've
learnt, what they've experienced.
"Nowadays, many machine intel forms... do have an initial program and
they are built-in in a certain way, but then they start learning and
adapting and experiencing."
Danger lies in what the robot has learnt.
"As with a human child, you can't be overly sure what exactly it is
they've learnt and what conclusions they can come up to as far as
based on their experience," he said.
Prof Warwick says it is difficult to tell at what point robots become
sentient, developing solutions humans have not thought of.
"[When] we know those decisions, that's all it can possibly do, then
we are giving it really just a choice," he said.
"It's when there is not only A, B, C or D, but also a possible choice,
E, that we had no idea about at all.
"In things like genetic algorithms, in things like neural networks,
these types of artificial intel, one main reason for them is that the
machine can come up with solutions that humans have not thought of.
"They're creating new conclusions, new ways of looking at a particular problem.
"This is the point of the intel, of machine intel nowadays is more the
extra bits that humans don't know about."
* Danger in sight
Prof Warwick predicts that robots will become sentient, and possibly
dangerous, in the next 20 to 30 y.
"Which is just about in my lifetime, certainly in my children's
lifetime," he said.
And he says humans will need to adapt to keep pace with machines.
In his 'Project Cyborg', Prof Warwick has begun adapting parts of his
body to become machine-like.
"Why can't we upgrade human intel, upgrade the human brain by linking
it directly with a machine brain?" he said.
"I've had an implant which linked my nervous system directly to a
computer. That was tremendously successful."
The experiment gave Prof Warwick "literally an extra sense".
Blindfolded, and hooked up to a computer, he was able to detect
objects and move around.
"Also my wife had electrodes pushed into her nervous system and we
were able to communicate in a telegraphic way from nervous system to
nervous system," he said.
Prof Warwick believes such communication is the way of the future.
"Brain implants are going to mean that we won't need to communicate by
this old-fashioned thing called speech, we will be able to communicate
just by thinking to each other and communicate with machines, just by
thinking to and from machines."
But for this technology to advance, humans have to understand their
own functions better.
"I think we need to understand a lot more about what emotions are and
so on," he said.
"It's not in the sense of more the abstract emotions like love and
those sort of sensations, which we really don't know what they are,
but the physical aspects of emotions that we can pick up and quite
clearly give an indication when somebody is feeling in a certain way,
those sort of things we could send."
* Adapt or fail
Prof Warwick does not fear a shortage of volunteers when the time
comes for humans to adapt.
"We are looking here at upgrading human capabilities -- that you can
have extra senses, that you can have extra memory, that you can think
in many dimensions and communicate just by thinking to each other," he said.
"That makes somebody tremendously powerful in terms of what your
abilities are as opposed to when you are an ordinary human.
"Some people of course won't. Some people will prefer to stay human if
they want to be part of the sub species.
"That's up to them."
Martian meteor discovered in Antarctica
Washington (AFP). A new meteorite that came from Mars has been
discovered by US scientists in Antarctica, US space agency NASA said.
The meteorite was found by a field party from the US Antarctic Search
for Meteorites program (ANSMET) on an ice field in the Miller Range of
the trans-Antarctic mountains, roughly 750 km from the South Pole.
The 715.2 gram black rock, officially designated MIL 03346, was one of
1,358 meteorites collected by ANSMET. Scientists at the Nat'l Museum
of Natural History involved in classification of Antarctic finds said
the mineralogy, texture and the oxidised nature of the rock are
unmistakably Martian. The new specimen is the 7th recognised member
of a group of Martian meteorites called the nakhlites, named after the
1st known specimen that fell in Nakhla, Egypt, in 1911. Nakhlites are
thought to have originated within thick lava flows that crystallised
on Mars approximately 1.3 bn y ago and sent to Earth by a meteorite
impact about 11 mn y ago. They are among the older known Martian meteorites.
Experts warn of new breed of computer worms
Helsinki (AFP). A new breed of computer worms and viruses, modified
by hackers to avoid detection, is spreading at an alarming rate across
the Internet, security experts said today.
Most of the bugs appear to be new versions of old viruses and worms,
some of which may have Trojan horse programs that can allow a hacker
to take control of an infected computer to send spam or direct attacks.
Computer Associates said it discovered new variants of the Bagle and
Mydoom worms, saying the number being detecting "is climbing alarmingly."
"With 5 Bagle variants in 6 days, several new techniques and the
re-emergence of Mydoom, there is an intense threat environment across
the Internet," said Sam Curry, VP at CA.
The original Mydoom.A worm in Jan infected up to 1 mn computers
worldwide in just a few days, clogging the Internet and causing huge
delays in the delivery of emails.
Another security firm, McAfee, meanwhile raised the risk assessment on
the recently discovered Bagle.ai worm, a new version of a virus that
has been in circulation for several ms.
McAfee said the worm can use "spoofed" addresses that make it appear
to be an email from a known person, and may appear to have music or
photo attachments.
"Users should be very wary and should most likely delete any email
containing" reference to "foto3 and MP3," "fotogalary and Music" and
other attachments.
The Finnish security firm F-Secure said the worm "has a backdoor" to
allow a hacker who created the code to "connect to the computer and
execute arbitrary programs."
MessageLabs, an e-mail security firm, said it has intercepted more
than 17,615 copies of the latest variant of Bagle.
Hormone shots help tanning, cut sun damage: study
Sydney (Reuters). Injections of a substance similar to a hormone
naturally produced in the body appear to give people a tan with
minimal sun exposure, new research suggests.
During the study, people were given ten daily injections of
melanotan-1 (MT-1), a synthetic version of a hormone that triggers the
production of the natural skin pigment melanin.
Moreover, the injections also appeared to offer some protection from
sun-related skin damage, according to the report in the Archives of
Dermatology.
"It took 1/3 or less of the normal amount of sunlight to get a very
deep tan," study author Dr Robert T Dorr, a consultant to EpiTan, an
Aussie company that makes MT-1.
People who received MT-1 before exposing themselves to ultraviolet
light or sunlight tended to tan more quickly than normal sunbathers,
and showed fewer signs of sun-related damage to skin cells.
"Cosmetics is one thing, but if we can really protect people from sun
damage...I think we'll have helped a lot of people," said the
researcher, who is based at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
He added that researchers are currently investigating whether MT-1 can
be administered as an implant that slowly releases the drug over time.
It may also one day be available as a lotion or in a pill, he noted.
The study was funded by the Nat'l Cancer Institute.
In an initial study, 4 people received 10 daily injections of MT-1 and
4 others received a placebo shot, followed by ultraviolet light.
In a 2nd study, 12 people received 10 daily shots of MT-1 at an
increased dose, including 5 days of ultraviolet exposure either during
or after the shots.
A 3rd group of 8 people received the higher dose of MT-1 followed by
regular sunlight exposure for 4 wk.
In the 1st experiment, 3 out of 4 people became tanned, and developed
nearly 50% fewer sunburn cells than people who received a placebo shot.
Participants who received the higher dose developed a darker tan, and
people who added MT-1 to sunlight exposure tanned faster than people
who tried sunlight alone.
Dr Dorr said when the body is exposed to sun, surface skin cells
become damaged and release the MT-1-like hormone, which triggers other
cells to produce melanin.
MT-1, in contrast, bypasses this system by acting immediately on the
melanin-producing cells, which "short circuits the need to get the
damage," he said.
The drug differs from self-tanning products, Dr Dorr noted, which are merely
colourants that produce something that does not protect against sunlight.
Internet addresses 'for all'
KL. ICANN, the US body overseeing web site allocations globally, has
launched a new technology that will allow virtually unlimited Internet
addresses, its chairman said.
Vinton Cerf of the Internet Corp for Assigned Names and Numbers
(ICANN) said the next-generation protocol, IPv6, had been added to its
root server systems, making it possible for every person or device to
have an Internet protocol address.
Rapid growth in the use of the World Wide Web has in recent times
prompted concerns about future scarcity of domain addresses, with
demand threatening to overload the existing system, the IPv4.
"This is a big, big step," Mr Cerf said, speaking on sidelines of
ICANN's annual conference held in the Malaysian capital.
LA-based ICANN was given the job of overseeing the Internet's naming
and numbering system globally by the US govt.
Mr Cerf said about 2/3 of the 4.3 bn Internet addresses currently
available were used up, adding that IPv6 could magnify capacity by
some "25,000 trillion trillion times".
He said the IPv6 system would run parallel to IPv4 for about 20 y to
ensure that any bugs or system errors were weeded out.
{{
1 am
BBC World Service. Tony Blair is still defending his decision to
invade Iraq. In parl'y debate on the intel findings highlighted by
the Butler Report Blair repeated his belief that intel left him with
little doubt Iraq had WMD before GWII.
Russia is planning to sell off the main production unit of Yukos to
collect taxes owed by the company. The move would strip the oil giant
of its most valuable asset. The unit -- in Siberia -- accounts for
60% of Yukos' prod'n. The company owe $US3.5 bn in back taxes. The
unit is worth 4 times that amount -- an indep valuation put it at
$US30 bn. The company says it fears it will be sold at a fraction of
the real value.
Strasbourg. The EU Parl is meeting for the first time since 10 new
members joined. 700 members are meeting from 25 countries. The
meeting elected a Spanish socialist as Pres. In deal between the 2
largest political groups, he will be succeeded by a Christian Dem
1/2-way through his term. The Greens and Liberals have complained the
deal precluded an open vote.
Iraqi rebels have released a Phil truck driver they were holding
hostage. Pres Gloria Arroyo appeared live on Phil TV and said she has
already spoken to him. She said he was in good spirits and good health.
Pal officials in the W Bank town of Ramallah say PM Qurie has agreed to
remain in his post. The announcement was made after a meeting between
members of Qurie's cabinet and Pres Arafat. An Arafat rep said the Pal
leader had totally rejected the resignation. Pal officials refused to
say whether any concessions were made to have Qurie stay on. A
delegation of the Cabinet is to hold further talks with Arafat. They
will also see militants protesting against Arafat allies.
2 Israeli soldiers and 1 Hezbollah fighter have been killed on the
Israeli/Lebanon border. Both sides has accused the other of starting
the shooting over their mutual border. There's been at least 1
Israeli air strike in S Lebanon. An Israeli rep said the army was
responding to sniper fire from the Lebanon side. Hezbollah says
Israeli started the shooting first, and they just responded.
A UN report says poverty in sub Saharan Africa has continued to grow
for the past 20 y. It says the area is the last frontier of abject
poverty in the world, and all countries need to step up their efforts
to promote economic growth in the region, otherwise it will be
impossible for its people to move out of poverty.
1.30 am
There's been a "serious disturbance" at an immigration detention
centre nr Heathrow Airport, London. The problems followed the death
of 1 detainee. He was found hanging in his room on Mon morning.
The sit'n is now calm, but it took police and prison officers 9 hrs to
establish control of all floors of the facility. Fires were lit by
detainees and more damage was done by the automatic sprinklers. 441
detainees are now to be moved out and dispersed among UK prisons and
other detention centre during day.
4 men have been arrested in N England. Police say they are being
questioned over a BBC documentary that uncovered racist views and
claims of an attack on an Asian man at a political party meeting.
3 nations have begun patrolling the St of Malacca. Indon, Malaysia,
and Singapore have launched a demo patrol of 17 vessels. The Straight
sees 1/2 of the world's oil exports each year, and 1/3 of world trade.
The US had offered to guard the region from terror attacks, but that
was refused by Malaysia and Indon.
6.30 am
The Dow has closed up 55 pts at 10,149. The Nasdaq ended up 33 at
1,917. The FTSE closed 18 higher at 4,339. The German Dax added 25.
Gold fell 3.70 to $US402.10/oz. The AUD is trading at 72.75 -- down
1/2 c on last night's local close. Oil in NY is down 1.9% at
$US40.86/bbl. Copper is down $42/tonne.
Iraqi al-Qaeda leader al-Zaqawri has disowned a threat on Japan on a
web site. He called on his followers to "avoid lies".
Ahmed ElBaradei says the Iraq FM has invited the organisation back
into Iraq to check stocks of radioactive materials. The IAEA chief
has long called for the return of WMD inspectors to Iraq -- not to
find WMD, but finish a UN report verifying they're not present.
The Pope has announced an inquiry into an Austrian sex scandal
involving old priests, young priests and pornographic images.
A Perth man is to undergo a psych tests after being charged over
racist graffiti at a Perth synagogue.
A SYD man has become the first to be committed under Fed anti-terror laws.
The Fed Govt is to encourage foreign doctors working as taxi drivers
to get jobs in medicine.
CBR. PM Howard has indicated parliament will continue after the winter
break, indicating a late election.
Taiwanese jets are to practice landing on the nation's runways --
preparing for an (un)expected invasion by China.
6,000 pensioners have been threatened by the Fed Govt. In the run-up
to a national election where every vote will count, PM Howard has been
told pensioners won't forget as their pension cards are threatened
under a govt move to crack down on misuse and fraud of pension benefits.
6.45 am
A doctor who the blew whistle on the SARS outbreak in China last y has
been released from a detention centre.
US fed chair Greenspan has delivered an up-beat report on the state of
the US economy. The current expansion is sustainable, says Greenspan.
There will be some increase in prices, but inflation will remain in check.
The head of the US military in Iraq has expressed disappointment at
the pull-out of Phil troops, despite the safe return of a hostage.
The truck-driver was delivered to an embassy in Baghdad yesterday. Gen
Abizaid said it was "regrettable" nations made deals with terrorists,
and did not stand up to them. The Coal'n is strong and we hope it
well get stronger, he added.
Aussie Opp'n leader Mark Latham says he'll be using the old Gogh
Whitlam "It's Time" slogan as a fundraiser.
7 am
There's been a big gunfight in Riyadh. Al Arabiya TV says the
shooting was between police and wanted, armed insurgents.
Armed Pals have wounded an official in the leg in Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, PM Qurie has agreed to withdraw his resignation.
Elsewhere, US Sec of State Powell says America needs an empowered PM
who has control over security forces and the instruments of govt in Pal.
10 am
A Saudi security official says 2 al-Qaeda suspects are dead and 3
wounded after a shoot-out in the capital. Police have arrested the
wife of the head of the terror group in the kingdom. It was a massive
police operation, involving 100s of police. Meanwhile, Saudi
officials say a total of 61 people have turned themselves in under a
terrorist amnesty. Official say those that have turned themselves in
won't escape justice and will be interrogated and jailed.
NY. It's been a "crushing win" for a Pal-backed Res in the UNGA. The
motion calling on Israel to pull down the section of wall built on
occupied territory passed 150 to 6, with 10 abstentions. The Res
calls on Israel to comply with an ICJ ruling. 1/4 of the wall has
been built on occupied territory. Israel says it will ignore the Res.
US officials say the Res was "unbalanced".
Midday.
The Fed Govt has welcomed the appointment of Don McGauchie as
Telstra's new chairman, saying he is an outstanding Aussie who will
bring extensive experience to the job, but the Opp'n says it is a
political appointment designed to persuade regional AUS to accept
Telstra's privatisation.
The PM says the Govt is not changing its plans to privatise Telstra
and overhaul media ownership rules.
The US said it was pleased with the release of a Filipino hostage from
captors in Iraq but maintained that Manila's decision to give in to
the kidnappers' demands was wrong.
Philippines hostage Angelo de la Cruz has been freed and handed over
to the embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Baghdad.
9.30 pm
35 people have been killed in a rebel attack on a convoy in Sudan.
Observers say it's proof that Arab militias are being assisted by the
Sudan govt. 2 y of civil war in Sudan has left 10,000 dead.
A prev unknown group associated with al-Qaeda is threatening to attack
Poland and Bulgaria if they don't pull out their troops from Iraq.
There are reports Washington is "reviewing" its ties with Manila after
the Phil pulled its troops out of Iraq 1 m ahead of schedule following
demands from terrorists. In AUS, Opp'n leader Mark Latham says the
Phil govt shouldn't have pulled out early, although he sticks by his
own withdrawal policy by Xmas.
Clashes continue between the army and Hezbollah on the Israeli/Lebanon
border. 2 Israeli soldiers have been killed by a Hezbollah sniper. 2
Hezbollah fighters have also been killed by small arms and rocket
fire. The US has called for restraint from both sides.
Brit Euro-skeptics have created chaos at the first meeting of the EP
since they were elected. Members of the indep UK party tore up
ballots in protest during a vote. But comments from one Brit about
discrimination against women caused the greatest storm. He said he
would never employ women of child-bearing age, because he was a small
businessman. He's been given a place on the EU's women's rights committee.
A M/S share buy-back will see as much money returned to investors as
Pres Bush has asked for the back reconstruction of Iraqi.
The All Ords is up 21 pts. The NAB is up .32 to $A27.80 per share.
In Japan, the Nikkei is up 175 pts. The Hang Seng is 271 higher. The
FTSE closed up 44. The German Dax added 56. In Moscow, Yukos has
fallen 25% in the past 2 days, as tax police move to sell the
company's chief assets. The AUD is at 72.35 US c as the greenback
reacted to comments from Fed chair Greenspan. Oil is down .80 at
$US40.72/bbl.
On the 35th anniversary of man's first foot-steps on the moon, the US
Congress has slashed deep into NASA's budget. It's cut Pres Bush's
"grand vision" by $300 mn for next y.
11 pm
Saudi police say they've found a SAM in a villa occupied by militants,
following a gun battle. There are conflicting reports whether the
leader of al-Qaeda in the kingdom was killed in the fire-fight. But
his wife and 3 children are among those arrested. Police also found
the severed head of an executed truck driver in a fridge at the
compound. The American hostage's body was found last m.
The AUD has dropped further to 72.24 US c.
11.30 pm
The Iraqi FM has warned neighbours that instability in Iraq could
spill over into other countries in the region. In Cairo, he's called
on neighbouring states to do more. He says action, not words, is needed.
Demonstrators said their action was justified. But a Brit appeals
court has ruled the legality of GWII could not justify their
destruction of US military equipment in a demo against the war last y.
The Dutch PM has said fear of Islam should play no part in whether
Turkey should be part of the EU. Raising barriers to any religion did
not fit with EU values, he says.
The RC Bishop of Bulawayo [sic] says has evidence of massive voting
fraud in Zimbabwe. He says the last elections were rigged, with the
Pres getting around 1/2 mn illegitimate votes. He says voter lists
appear to include up to 800,000 dead people.
The Greek govt has dismissed a report it will allow foreign guards to
carry weapons at the Games. The NY Times had said Greece was willing
to allow US and Israeli security to protect athletes.
[In later reports, the NY Times seems to have been proved correct].
7 am
Bird flu has re-emerged in Indon. The E Java outbreak is under control
says the govt. Officials are not sure it's the same variant that
killed dozens of people earlier this y. There have been no cases of
human infection found in the latest outbreak. About 2,000 chickens
have died of the disease, so far.
The US army has developed a meal pack that can be re-hydrated with
contaminated liquids, greatly reducing the weight needed to be carried
by soldiers. The packs filter out bacteria and contaminants. Officials
say they can be re-hydrated with urine. But the army says that should
be a last resort, because prolonged use could result in kidney damage.
Previously the US Army has developed the so-called "indestructible sandwich",
which has a shelf life of 3 y.
While Aussie children have the lowest rate of tooth decay in the
developed world, AUS Govt research has found decay rates are on the
rise. It's put down to the increased use of bottled water -- meaning
children are avoiding fluoridated drinking water.
}}
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