World briefs - November 3, 2005
November 03, 2005 Edition 1
Pakistan quake toll soars
Muzaffarabad - Pakistan has dramatically increased the official death toll from the earthquake that hit the north of the country to 73 276 - up from 57 600 the day before. Expecting it to rise further, a Federal Relief spokesperson yesterday said the sharp rise in the death toll could be related to concerted efforts to clear debris. Another 1 300 have been confirmed dead in Indian Kashmir.
Blair terror plan defeated
London - The British government yesterday backed down on a key counter-terrorist proposal rather than risk its first defeat in parliament since 1997. Parliamentarians - including members of Blair's Labour Party - were poised to vote down a government plan to let police hold suspects for up to 90 days without charge. A new round of cross-party talks will try to reach a compromise.
Seaside art
Sydney - A couple approach the "Big Chook", an artwork of fibreglass and high-gloss epoxy marine paint, on Tamarama Beach in Sydney yesterday. Australian artist Jeremy Parnell said people "frying themselves" on the beach to get a suntan had inspired his piece, which joins 100 artworks by international and Australian artists at the ninth annual outdoor Sculpture by the Sea exhibition.
Fears of massive poll fraud
Libreville - A leading opposition candidate in this month's Gabon presidential election has accused the government of preparing to rig the vote with "massive fraud". Zacharie Myboto, a former minister, yesterday said conditions were being created that were "liable to engender acts of disorder and confusion". Opposition parties have complained that some electoral lists have not been posted.
Washerwoman fetches $22m
New York - A portrait by the French Impressionist painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - La Blanchisseuse, a portrait of a laundry woman - has been sold at auction in New York for $22,4-million (R150-million). This is a world record price for the artist. Also on sale at Tuesday night's Christie's auction was one of Claude Monet's iconic Nympheas (water lily) series, which went for $14-million.
French violence spreads
Paris - The French government was reeling yesterday after nearly a week of suburban rioting in northern Paris spread to other areas around the capital, laying bare what observers said was the country's failure to address deep problems of poverty and immigration. The violence was triggered last Thursday by the electrocution of two youths who scaled an electrical relay station's walls to escape a police ID check.
Nigeria gets last frozen cash
Berne - Officials have told Swiss banks to start returning to Nigeria a final $170-million (R1,1-billion) held in accounts linked to the late dictator Sani Abacha. This will complete the return of the $730-million found in Switzerland and frozen in Swiss banks since 1999. Nigeria accused Abacha of creating a criminal organisation after his takeover in 1993 and plundering $2,2-billion from state funds.
Impeachment MP arrested
Blantyre - Police yesterday arrested a lawmaker and prominent critic of President Bingu wa Mutharika for allegedly forging documents, in a new twist to an escalating political crisis. Lucius Banda, who tabled an impeachment motion against the president, was accused of issuing "false documents" by forging his school-leaving certificate, a necessary qualification for all MPs.
Children our future - pope
Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI yesterday praised large families and called for countries to approve legislation and other incentives to help them. "Without children, there is no future," Benedict said. Recent European Union statistics put the average number of children per woman at 1,5. In some countries, including Catholic Italy and Spain, the average is down to 1,3.
Iran in new show of defiance
Berlin - Iran will process a new batch of uranium at its Isfahan atomic plant beginning next week, despite pressure from the US and EU to halt all sensitive nuclear work, diplomats said yesterday. While Tehran prepared what one Western diplomat described as "another show of defiance", Russia suggested a face-saving plan for Tehran to conduct less sensitive nuclear activities jointly with Moscow.
Zanzibar's Karume sworn in
Zanzibar - Amani Abeid Karume was sworn in as president of Zanzibar yesterday after his re-election in polls marked by violence and claims of fraud by the opposition, who rejected the official results. Karume, who heads the Revolutionary Party and has been in power for more than 40 years, gained 53,2% of the vote against 46,1% for opposition leader Seif Sharif Hamad.
