Today's other stories in brief
Taliban suicide bombers attack Afghan 'jirga'
Taliban suicide bombers attacked a huge gathering of Afghan leaders and notables yesterday as President Hamid Karzai launched an ambitious peace plan he hopes will persuade insurgents to lay down arms.
Officials said three rockets fell short of a vast tent where the traditional jirga, or gathering, was being held. Afghan police clashed with three gunmen who breached a massive security cordon by disguising themselves with the all-enveloping burqa worn by many women in Afghanistan.
“The situation is under control,” Farooq Wardak, the chief organiser of the jirga, told delegates. However sporadic firing could still be heard hours after the initial attack. He said two gunmen had been killed and one arrested. – (Reuters)
BA strike action set to continue
The latest wave of strikes by British Airways cabin crew will end today, with further action set to be launched at the weekend in the increasingly bitter row.
Unite said the dispute had now cost the airline £112 million (€134 million) and claimed BA could lose £1.4 billion as passengers switched to other carriers.
Union members will strike for the fifth day and plan to stage another five-day walkout from Saturday. – (PA)
Egypt's opposition to back ElBaradei
The Muslim Brotherhood said yesterday it would back a drive by former UN atomic watchdog head Mohammed ElBaradei to reform Egyptian politics after the group secured no seats in a vote for parliament’s upper house.
Egypt’s biggest opposition group, which controls a fifth of the lower house seats but none in the upper house, said it would help Mr ElBaradei to collect signatures, a move bound to boost his efforts to gather a million names.
The vote for a third of the seats was marred by abuses reported by independent monitors. – (Reuters)
Police condemn crossbow film
Police investigating the murders of three prostitutes yesterday condemned an animated film showing a man killing a woman with a crossbow as in “extremely bad taste”.
West Yorkshire Police called for the video, showing 3D computer graphic-style images of the murder, to be removed from YouTube.
The film is believed to have been made for Taiwanese news coverage of UK crime. – (PA)
Police identify remains from river
Human remains recovered from a river are those of missing prostitute Shelley Armitage, police said last night.
West Yorkshire Police said a small piece of human tissue recovered from the River Aire, in Shipley had been tested and found to belong to Ms Armitage.
Stephen Griffiths (40) has been charged with the murders of Ms Armitage and prostitutes Suzanne Blamires and Susan Rushworth. – (PA)