Today's other stories in brief
Greek Cypriots urged to do more
BRUSSELS – Turkey's chief EU negotiator has urged Greek Cypriots to do more to seek a peace deal for their divided island and said he did not expect reunification talks to break down after an election next month.
EU affairs minister Egemen Bagis also said yesterday that he was confident Turkey would one day join the union but made clear it was not about to open its ports to Greek Cypriot ships.
Mr Bagis said he hoped talks would continue after the April 18th presidential election on the Turkish side of Cyprus. – (Reuters)
Sarkozy pledge
PARIS – French president Nicolas Sarkozy has promised not to slacken the pace of reform after voters inflicted a crushing defeat on his centre-right UMP party in regional elections at the weekend.
“We have to continue with reforms. Stopping now would simply be to ruin what has already been achieved,” Mr Sarkozy said after the regular weekly cabinet meeting. – (Reuters)
US sanctions on Mexican gangs
WASHINGTON – The US treasury department has said it is imposing sanctions on 54 members of two powerful Mexican drug gangs it blames for a spike in killings near the US border in recent weeks.
The treasury said yesterday that the actions targeted “principal lieutenants and enforcers” of the powerful Gulf cartel and Los Zetas. By adding the individuals to its blacklist of “specially designated narcotics traffickers”, the treasury is banning Americans from doing any business with them. – (Reuters)
Iraqi soldiers shot dead at checkpoint
BAGHDAD – Five Iraqi soldiers have been shot at a checkpoint near Baghdad, according to authorities, in the latest sign of rising tensions as Iraq prepares to release the results of the March 7th election.
The Iraqi army surrounded the town of Radwaniya, west of Baghdad, where the attack occurred late on Tuesday. Troops limited access as they searched for the gunmen, officials said.
“Gunmen used silencers and killed two of our soldiers at the checkpoint and then entered to kill the others inside their room and fled without drawing attention,” said a military intelligence officer who asked not to be named. – (Reuters)
Suspected Somali pirate killed
MOGADISHU – A suspected Somali pirate has been killed during shooting between pirates and armed guards on board a Panamanian-flagged ship, according to a maritime official and the EU anti-piracy taskforce.
The private guards protecting the MV Almezaan returned fire as they beat back two attacks by the same gang off the coast of lawless Somalia on Tuesday.
A Spanish warship patrolling the waters deployed a helicopter that fired warning shots to stop the pirates as they fled the area. – (Reuters)
Airport worker body scan warning
LONDON – Police have issued a warning for harassment against an airport worker after he allegedly took a photograph of a female colleague as she went through a full-body scanner at Heathrow airport.
The incident, which occurred on March 10th, is believed to be the first time an airport worker has been formally disciplined for misusing the scanners.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “Police received an allegation regarding an incident that happened at Heathrow Terminal 5 on March 10th.
“A first-instance harassment warning has been issued to a 25-year-old male.”
Civil liberties groups have expressed concern about scanners. – (Guardian service)