A roundup of today's other world news in brief
Russian protesters demand Putin quits
ARKHANGELSK – Thousands of angry people demonstrated in a northwestern Russian city yesterday against the high cost of living and demanded that the government of prime minister Vladimir Putin quits.
About 4,000 protesters braved biting cold to hold an unauthorised rally at a huge Lenin monument in Arkhangelsk’s main square, chanting: “Down with this useless state power” and “Down with United Russia”.
“We do not believe the authorities” and “We demand a pay rise”, read some of the posters. Hammer-and-sickle Communist Party flags dominated the scene.
The large rally was similar to recent protests held in Vladivostok in the east and in Kaliningrad in the west. Demands by protesters vary from lower household bills to the abolition of transport taxes, lower imported car duties and demands to halt a paper mill at the pristine Lake Baikal. – (Reuters)
UN climate chief cleared on finances
LONDON – The head of the United Nations’ scientific panel on climate change has been cleared of allegations of financial irregularity by an independently conducted review.
KPMG, the professional services company, examined the personal finances of Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), after media suggested late last year that he received money for advising several private sector companies, including Toyota and Credit Suisse. The review found these were all paid to Mr Pachauri’s non-profit organisation TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute), which commissioned KPMG.
Mr Pachauri said he hoped another audit he had commissioned, to examine the practices of the IPCC and the science contained in its report, would put to rest allegations of flaws in climate science. – (Financial Times Ltd)
New search for body of Moors victim
LONDON – A privately funded search has begun for the body of a 12-year-old boy killed by Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, it was reported yesterday.
The hunt for Keith Bennett, who was snatched as he made his way to his grandmother’s house in Longsight in 1964, is taking place in the Pennine hills near Manchester.
Since police abandoned the search for the body last year, hundreds of people have donated to help pay for a volunteer search-and-rescue team from Wales, according to the BBC.
The police investigation is classed as “dormant”, and only a major scientific breakthrough or significant piece of fresh evidence would prompt a new search.
Keith’s mother Winnie Johnson (76) said at a special memorial service at Manchester Cathedral recently: “I’m Keith’s mother. . . he’s there on the Moors, I want him back. – (PA)
Manhunt for armed robbers of Basle casino
PARIS – French and Swiss police have launched a manhunt for an armed gang who stormed a casino in Basle and broke open cash desks before vanishing into the night with hundreds of thousands of euro.
The raid, which prosecutors said was a professional operation orchestrated with “brutal” efficiency, was carried out at 4am yesterday at the city’s Grand Casino by about 10 masked raiders armed with machine guns and pistols.
After one man burst through the front entrance with a sledgehammer, his accomplices ran inside and ordered guests to the floor while firing into the air. “The criminals fired a number of shots, but luckily no one was hit,” the Basle public prosecutor said. “Some of the gang tried to break into the safe room but failed, despite firing bullets into the door. Others went to the cash desks and managed to steal “several hundreds of thousands of [Swiss] francs”. Witnesses said the gang members spoke in French.
– (Guardian service)