A roundup of today's other world news in brief
Son of Michael Douglas jailed over drugs
NEW YORK – The son of Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas has been sentenced to five years in prison for possessing heroin and dealing methamphetamine and cocaine from a New York hotel room.
Cameron Douglas (31), pleaded guilty to the charges in January, after his arrest last year at the Gansevoort Hotel in Manhattan.
Michael Douglas wrote to the judge asking for leniency, while his wife actor Catherine Zeta-Jones wrote separately in support. – (Reuters)
Obama to herald Supreme Court nominee in May
WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama said yesterday he will announce his Supreme Court nominee by the end of May, and insisted his pick must back women’s rights but would not be subjected to a “litmus test” on the abortion issue.
Mr Obama spoke as he consulted lawmakers on his bid to fill a vacancy on the nation’s highest court while hoping to avoid a divisive row that could distract from his legislative agenda in a congressional election year.
He has begun informal talks with potential nominees in the process to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens. – (Reuters)
Boundaries a threat to Belgian cabinet
BRUSSELS – A dispute between Belgium’s French- and Dutch-speaking parties threatens to bring down prime minister Yves Leterme’s five-month-old government today.
Flemish liberals OpenVLD are to leave government if no deal is reached on electoral boundaries around Brussels – a divisive issue argued about for decades. – (Reuters)
Thieves break into jail to steal TVs
AMSTERDAM – It would be a good joke if it were not in fact true: thieves have broken into a Dutch prison to steal inmates’ televisions.
Twice recently they gained entry to a minimum-security prison in the town of Hoorn and stole TVs from cells as prisoners enjoyed weekend furloughs, a Dutch justice ministry spokesman said yesterday. – (Reuters)
Ukraine gains on gas for fleet rights
KHARKIV, UKRAINE – Russia agreed yesterday to a 30 per cent cut in the price of its gas supplies to Ukraine in exchange for a 25-year extension of the lease for its Black Sea fleet, based on Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula.
The concession on the Black Sea fleet was the clearest sign yet of a marked foreign policy shift by Kiev towards Moscow under newly elected President Viktor Yanukovich. It was portrayed as a sell-out of sovereignty by opponents.
The pro-western Viktor Yushchenko, whom Yanukovich succeeded after a bitterly fought election in January, had regarded the planned departure of the fleet in 2017 as vital to Ukrainian sovereignty. – (Reuters)
Third of teens send over 100 texts a day
LOS ANGELES – A third of US teenagers with mobile phones send more than 100 texts a day.
Texting has become the most popular means of communication for young people, new research shows.
The study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found texting has risen dramatically even since 2008, eclipsing mobile phone calls, instant messaging, social networks – and talking face-to-face. – (Reuters)