World Briefs - November 29, 2005
November 29, 2005 Edition 1
Ugandan lawyers strike
Kampala - More than 100 Ugandan lawyers went on strike yesterday to protest at military interference in the criminal trial of jailed opposition leader Kizza Besigye and 22 colleagues facing treason and terrorism charges. Heavily armed commandos -
the Black Mambas - surrounded the courtroom during their recent appearances.The lawyers says the court's integrity was not preserved.
Afghans eye illegal arms
Kabul - Afghanistan's government said yesterday that many officials and police still controlled illegal arsenals despite a UN-backed disarmament scheme and it would use force if necessary to take their weapons. More than 60 000 militia forces were disarmed in the first phase of the programme, most of them loyal to regional commanders and warlords who helped the US to topple the Taliban.
Immortalised
London - An employee of Christie's auction house in London with a gem-set Calcedony group of three Pekinese dogs made by famed Easter egg designer Fabergé. The set is expected to fetch up
to £35 000 (R390 000) at an auction of Russian works of art tomorrow.
EU warns CIA abetters
Berlin - EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini warned yesterday that any EU nation found to have operated secret CIA prisons could have its EU voting rights suspended. His comments came as the Council of Europe - the continent's main human rights watchdog - probes reports that the CIA set up secret jails in some European nations and transported terror suspects in covert flights.
Marriage makes life easier
Riyadh - Four Saudi women teaching in a remote village school have married their driver so that they can live closer to work. The women - who are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia - were impressed with the man's "good morals" and decided to marry him and live together in the village where they teach, avoiding a tiring daily commute. They pay the driver a share of their monthly salaries.
Yellow fever hits Sudan
Geneva - A yellow fever outbreak in Sudan has killed another 10 people, bringing the known toll to 131 deaths out of 530 cases in less than three weeks, the World Health Organisation said yesterday. About 1,7-million doses of vaccine against yellow fever, sent from an emergency stockpile, arrived in Sudan at the weekend for a mass vaccination campaign.
Russia readies for toxic spill
Moscow - Russia's emergency agency said yesterday it was mounting a quick response to a toxic chemical spill flowing downriver from China and expected to reach Russia's far-eastern regions soon. The ministry said the benzene spill from the chemical plant explosion in Jilin could affect 70 Russian cities and villages with a total of more than 1-million residents along the Amur River.
Arroyo cleared of cheating
Manila - An official at the centre of an election fraud scandal involving Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has emerged from months of hiding and cleared her from allegations of cheating in last year's poll. Virgilio Garcillano, a former election commissioner, said he spoke to Arroyo during vote-counting but disputed allegations that she ordered him to rig the results to make her win.
Chill kills quake survivors
Muzaffarabad, Pakistan - With the onset of heavy rain and snow, at least two earthquake survivors died yesterday - the first confirmed victims of what officials fear will be a new disaster for 3,5-million homeless Pakistanis. More than 100 people were taken to hospitals with hypothermia and respiratory problems. The bad weather also blocked roads and grounded helicopters ferrying aid.
Crooked congressman quits
San Diego, California - A Republican congressman yesterday pleaded guilty to conspiracy and tax charges and tearfully resigned from office, admitting he took $2,4-million (R15,6-million) in bribes to steer defence contracts to co-conspirators. After pleading guilty at the hearing, Randy "Duke" Cunningham (63) resigned, saying: "I can't undo what I have done but I can atone".
Abused want to meet pope
Vatican City - Two American victims of abuse by a former priest yesterday submitted a letter to the Vatican asking for a meeting with Pope Benedict and urging him to apologise to all victims of clergy abuse. The hand-delivered letter also asks the pope to dismiss any official involved in covering up the scandal and to instruct bishops to co-operate in the investigation of suspected cases.
