"US authorities were trying to determine why an Egyptian limousine driver with no known ties to terrorists went to an El Al ticket counter at Los Angeles airport and opened fire, killing two people and injuring five before he was shot dead. Investigators said they were seeking to establish whether Hesham Mohamed Hadayet, who turned 41 on the day of the shooting, the Fourth of July, was motivated by hatred or despondency over a personal crisis," reported the AFP news service.
"The limelight will be on corporate scandals in the coming week as a congressional panel opens a hearing on the WorldCom debacle and President George W. Bush makes what is being described as a major policy speech. Bush, who has been under pressure to crack down on corporate malfeasance, is trying to shake off the notion that his Republican administration is too cozy with business. But as politicians and corporate leaders vow to crack down, the matter is becoming increasingly political. The dilemma is that the Democrats are taking huge money from the same corporate interests that the Republicans have taken... So endemically corrupt has been the politics of the two parties that they’re really troubling themselves over just what direction forcefully they should take," reported the AFP news service.
"Raging rivers swollen by more than 100cm of rain swept away houses and forced thousands of people to higher ground on Friday as flooding inundated much of southern and central Texas," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Unidentified gunmen assassinated one of Afghanistan’s three vice-presidents in broad daylight here yesterday, in a fresh blow to efforts by President Hamid Karzai to impose his authority on the volatile country," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The United States acknowledged yesterday there had been civilian casualties during a US bombing raid in central Afghanistan and promised a formal probe into the incident.The incident has also put pressure on Karzai, installed last year with US backing after the defeat of the Taliban. The headache for Karzai is to maintain popular support for the US-led fight against terrorism, yet to show enough anger at the bombing raid to keep his government together and convince people he is not an American stooge," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Iraq yesterday blamed the United States for the breakdown in its talks with the United Nations on the return of UN weapons inspectors to this capital, accusing it of looking to escalate the issue as part of its plan to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein. Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said, referring to the United States and Britain and their hardline policy on Baghdad, that With their right of veto in the Security Council, they are preventing the council from doing its job with Iraq," reported the AFP news service.
"Israeli armoured vehicles yesterday surrounded the hospital in the West Bank town here in a search for two Palestinian militants who had attacked their forces," reported the AFP news service.
"Police in Northern Ireland erected barriers and razor wire yesterday in case the most contentious of annual Protestant marches fans more of the violence hampering the British-ruled province’s peace process," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Pakistan’s military ruler General Pervez Musharraf has issued a decree that effectively bars his two predecessors from becoming prime minister after elections scheduled for October, or of ever holding that office again," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Mohammad Anwar said at Kakrakai village in central Uruzgan province’s Dehrawad district that US soldiers stormed the homes of Afghan villagers after they were bombed in a US air-raid last weekend, barred people from treating their wounded relatives, and kept filming and photographing the naked women," reported the AFP news service.
"Afghans mourned Vice-President Haji Abdul Qadir at a funeral service yesterday as investigations began into an assassination that threatens the country’s fragile stability. US President George W. Bush condemned Qadir’s assassination and said his death strengthened America’s resolve to bring stability to the war-torn country. But his death also illustrated the problems facing Karzai as he tries to wean the country away from the gun and towards democracy," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Palestinian security chiefs rejected on Saturday Yasser Arafat’s choice for a new West Bank leader for their forces, increasing pressure on the Palestinian president as he faces US calls for reform," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The US government announced it was sending armed patrols to all areas of the nation’s airports in an effort to step up security in the wake of a deadly shooting in Los Angeles that left three people dead," reported the AFP news service.
"An army platoon engaged in a fierce firefight Tuesday with a group of Abu Sayyaf fighters that left one soldier dead and six others wounded," reported the AP news agency.
"African leaders yesterday prepared to bury the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), long seen as an empty talking shop, and unveil an African Union (AU) aimed at ending war and underdevelopment. But continuing turmoil on the continent is casting shadows over the new union’s future," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Activists and officials united in calling for cheap, life-saving drugs to be made available to fight AIDS in poor countries as the world’s biggest conference on the disease opened amid controversy on Sunday. A protest overshadowed the opening ceremony of the Barcelona international AIDS conference as AIDS activists kept up a chorus of jeers and whistles that drowned out the words of Spanish Health Minister Celia Villalobos," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Palestinians have taken to the streets to protest against Yasser Arafat’s dismissal of the West Bank’s powerful security chief but the fallen official said the dispute would not spark a revolt," reported the Reuters news agency.
"16-year-old Jala Abu Ajamia, who married her 27-year-old first cousin on Sunday during an Israel-imposed curfew said that today is his wedding day and he wants to die," reported the AP news agency.
"The Afghan government is to call on the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to help in the hunt for the killers of Vice-President Haji Abdul Qadir, a spokesman for President Hamid Karzai said yesterday," reported the AFP news service.
"The Big Day turned into The Big Brawl for two wedding parties inMadrid when around 30 people were injured in a fight involving broken bottles and firecrackers," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The US military will conduct new exercises against Abu Sayyaf insurgents in the southern Philippines after they complete operations on Basilan island," reported the AP news agency.
"A Taiwanese gangster-turned Protestant minister apologised yesterday after he had been sentenced to four years’ jail for sexually abusing three teenage girls. In a statement to the court to defend himself, Lin had said he did not rape the girls although he did admit to playing games with them. He said he regretted he could not control his desires and was shameful," reported the AFP news service.
"Two American soldiers failed to appear before South Korean prosecutors for questioning yesterday over an accident which killed two schoolgirls because of safety fears after angry protests. Under a bilateral treaty, South Korea can exercise or waive the right to prosecute cases involving US military personnel. But pollution, noise and traffic from the US bases and occasional crimes by American troops have been a source of friction with nearby communities," reported the Reuters news agency.
"A California police officer was suspended on Monday after a videotape showed him slugging a handcuffed black teenager in the face, an incident that sparked cries of racism, and calls for a federal probe and comparisons to the incendiary 1991 beating of Rodney King," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Flags on Afghan government buildings and diplomatic missions around the world flew at half-mast yesterday as the nation mourned for a murdered leader whose assassins may never to be brought to justice," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Africa’s new political union was launched yesterday with the continent’s economic powerhouse, South Africa, firmly in the driving seat. At least 40 of the continent’s 53 presidents and monarchs were in the port resort here to see the launch of the African Union (AU) with President Thabo Mbeki as chairman for its first year," reported the Reuters news agency.
"US President George W. Bush yesterday sought to boost criminal penalties for corporate abuses and beef up the federal securities watchdog in his response to accounting scandals that have shaken investor confidence and threatened to become a political liability. Democrats said Bush failed to go far enough, and called for measures such as protections for corporate whistle-blowers," reported the Reuters news agency.
"A pro-euthanasia group said Tuesday it will begin making free plastic bags to help its members commit suicide. Euthanasia is illegal throughout Australia. Helping people commit suicide is also illegal in Queensland state, where Nitschke plans to launch the bags on Aug 20 as part of his longtime campaign for euthanasia law reform in Australia," reported the AP news agency.
"US authorities deported a stepson of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to New Zealand after holding him since last week on charges of trying to obtain flight training here without a student visa, immigration officials said yesterday," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The Philippines said yesterday it had arrested a Filipino suspected of helping procure a tonne of explosives for use by Islamic radicals in a plot to bomb US targets in Singapore. Military and police officials presented the man to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at the presidential palace here shortly after announcing his arrest," reported the Reuters news agency.
"A Pakistani special court yesterday sentenced self-exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to three years in prison for failing to appear before it to face a corruption charge," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Civic leaders here demanded on Tuesday that a white policeman accused of beating a black teenager face criminal charges, as the clash reignited racial tensions in this multi-ethnic city," reported the AFP news service.
"An air passenger who jokingly questioned whether the plane’s pilots were sober was removed from an Americas West flight on Monday, one week after two of the airline’s pilots were arrested in Miami on charges of operating an aircraft while drunk. America West spokesman Patty Nowack said the crew decided to take the woman off the aircraft after determining that her remarks constituted a potential security problem," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Texas police on Tuesday sought a Baptist pastor and his twin brother on charges they used a tree branch to beat an 11-year-old boy nearly to death for misbehaving in a Bible class," reported the Reuters news agency.
"American military planners are considering Jordan as a staging area for air and commando raids against Iraq in the event the United States decides to attack, the New York Times quoted senior defence officials as saying yesterday. But Jordan has not yet been consulted about the possible use of its bases, and Jordanian officials have criticised such a plan," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Ailing Turkish premier Bulent Ecevit summoned his Cabinet yesterday as he struggled to fight off calls for his resignation in a mutiny that has spread even to his closest aides. The 77-year-old veteran premier showed a defiant streak on Tuesday, telling the head of an opposition party he had not yet reached the point of quitting and quickly naming new ministers to replace those, including his closest aide, who had left," reported the Reuters news agency.
"After killing dozens of people in the Philippines and Micronesia, tropical storm Chataan wreaked more havoc yesterday, forcing 15,000 people to evacuate in Japan and sweeping three people away in rain-swelled rivers," reported the AP news agency.
"The party of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto cried foul yesterday over a new conviction against their leader, charging it was part of an alleged drive by the military government to keep her from contesting in October elections," reported the AFP news service.
"Two al-Qaeda spokesmen have released separate interviews in which they say Osama bin Laden’s terrorist group is thriving and planning new attacks and assassinations. Al-Qaeda’s chief spokesman, Kuwaiti-born Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, is quoted as saying that al-Qaeda functions according to a rigorous, secret logic and that it cannot be knocked out. He dismissed the US-led strikes on Afghanistan to rout out al-Qaeda," reported the AP news agency.
"Israel captured a top officer in Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s presidential guards yesterday in the West Bank, as army officers warned that the territory’s occupied cities were near boiling point. Israel also announced it would try Arafat’s West Bank lieutenant Marwan Barghuti, a jailed deputy of the Palestinian parliament, in a civil court for alleged terrorism," reported the AFP news service.
"Senior Israeli army officers have pressed top brass for a partial withdrawal from West Bank towns, saying the three-week-old reoccupation has turned them into a powder keg. Governor Mohammed Madani, referring to the regular army-imposed curfews, said the three-week-old reoccupation of West Bank towns, triggered by a wave of suicide bombings in Israel, had totally paralysed business," reported the AFP news service.
"Turkey’s embattled coalition appeared yesterday to be headed towards collapse with the expected resignation of Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, the last remaining heavyweight backer of ailing Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. The 62-year-old Cem, who has held the foreign affairs portfolio since 1997, has made up his mind to quit the government and Ecevit’s Democratic Left Party (DSP) in a move widely tipped to trigger more top-level resignations from the already weakened party," reported the AFP news service.
"One day after US President George W. Bush vowed to get tough on corporate fraud, an anti-corruption watchdog group sued Vice President Dick Cheney and his former employer US oil services group Halliburton Co for alleged fraudulent accounting practices. The lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch stated Cheney is sued ... as a direct participant, aide and abettor, and co-conspirator in the fraudulent acts, omissions and schemes. Judicial Watch chairman Larry Klayman was considering taking action against Bush in connection with an insider trading scandal at the now-defunct Texas-based Harken Energy Corporation, stating that let the word go out that no one is above the law," reported the AFP news service.
"US intelligence agencies are watching several groups of Middle Eastern men thought to be among some 5,000 al-Qaeda members and supporters in the United States. A second official said that it was difficult to determine the exact number of al-Qaeda in the United States because of the clandestine nature of the group, explaining that it depends on how you define an al-Qaeda member," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Levels of street robbery in Britain – a growing political embarrassment for Prime minister Tony Blair – soared by 28% last year, according to data released today," reported the Reuters news agency.
"A teenager, whose videotaped beating by police in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood has enraged black leaders and triggered an FBI investigation, filed a seven-figure federal civil rights lawsuit over the altercation," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The Pakistani Supreme Court yesterday upheld President Pervez Musharraf’s ban on non-university graduates from contesting elections, rejecting challenges led by a normally pro-government party. Former law minister Iqbal Haider of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) slammed the degree requirement as undemocratic, stating that in the light of the Supreme Court judgement, it will amount to denying 99% of the people in Pakistan the right to contest elections, as only about 1% of the population are graduates," reported the AFP news service.
"Israel captured a top officer in Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s presidential guards yesterday in the West Bank, as army officers warned that the territory’s occupied cities were near boiling point. Israel also announced it would try Arafat’s West Bank lieutenant Marwan Barghuti, a jailed deputy of the Palestinian parliament, in a civil court for alleged terrorism," reported the AFP news service.
"Senior Israeli army officers have pressed top brass for a partial withdrawal from West Bank towns, saying the three-week-old reoccupation has turned them into a powder keg. Governor Mohammed Madani, referring to the regular army-imposed curfews, said the three-week-old reoccupation of West Bank towns, triggered by a wave of suicide bombings in Israel, had totally paralysed business," reported the AFP news service.
"Turkey’s embattled coalition appeared yesterday to be headed towards collapse with the expected resignation of Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, the last remaining heavyweight backer of ailing Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. The 62-year-old Cem, who has held the foreign affairs portfolio since 1997, has made up his mind to quit the government and Ecevit’s Democratic Left Party (DSP) in a move widely tipped to trigger more top-level resignations from the already weakened party," reported the AFP news service.
"One day after US President George W. Bush vowed to get tough on corporate fraud, an anti-corruption watchdog group sued Vice President Dick Cheney and his former employer US oil services group Halliburton Co for alleged fraudulent accounting practices. The lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch stated Cheney is sued ... as a direct participant, aide and abettor, and co-conspirator in the fraudulent acts, omissions and schemes. Judicial Watch chairman Larry Klayman was considering taking action against Bush in connection with an insider trading scandal at the now-defunct Texas-based Harken Energy Corporation, stating that let the word go out that no one is above the law," reported the AFP news service.
"US intelligence agencies are watching several groups of Middle Eastern men thought to be among some 5,000 al-Qaeda members and supporters in the United States. A second official said that it was difficult to determine the exact number of al-Qaeda in the United States because of the clandestine nature of the group, explaining that it depends on how you define an al-Qaeda member," reported the Reuters news agency.
"Levels of street robbery in Britain – a growing political embarrassment for Prime minister Tony Blair – soared by 28% last year, according to data released today," reported the Reuters news agency.
"A teenager, whose videotaped beating by police in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood has enraged black leaders and triggered an FBI investigation, filed a seven-figure federal civil rights lawsuit over the altercation," reported the Reuters news agency.
"The Pakistani Supreme Court yesterday upheld President Pervez Musharraf’s ban on non-university graduates from contesting elections, rejecting challenges led by a normally pro-government party. Former law minister Iqbal Haider of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) slammed the degree requirement as undemocratic, stating that in the light of the Supreme Court judgement, it will amount to denying 99% of the people in Pakistan the right to contest elections, as only about 1% of the population are graduates," reported the AFP news service.
"As Wall Street collapsed around him, President George Bush was faced with another embarrassing revelation about his own business dealings. In response to newspaper stories, the White House admitted on Thursday that the president had benefited from low-interest loans from a company of which he was a director – precisely the kind of deal he said he wanted banned in his speech on corporate ethics on Tuesday. The speech appeared to have failed spectacularly: the proposals were widely attacked as weak, and in the two days since then billions more have been wiped off Americans’ wealth and pension plans with near-panic selling on Wall Street. Tom Daschle, the Senate majority leader, said it puts him (Bush) in a difficult position to criticise others if this is what happened," reported Guardian News Service.
"The government here passed a tough new law yesterday to block funding to terrorists as part of a global effort to cut off support for militant groups following the Sept 11 attacks on the United States. The government said it needed to urgently enact the Bill to fulfil commitments to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 against terrorism, which was adopted in late September," reported the Asia News Network.
