A round-up of today's other world news in brief ...
African Union will not back Bashir charge
SIRTE, Libya – African Union heads of state voted yesterday not to co-operate with the International Criminal Court over its indictment of Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
“decides that in view of the fact that a request of the African Union has never been acted upon, the AU member states shall not co-operate persuant to the provisions of Article 98 of the Rome statute of the ICC relating to immunities for the arrest and surrender of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir to the ICC,” a text of the resolution said. –(Reuters)
Vote on Barroso EU post delayed
STOCKHOLM – The European Parliament has delayed a vote on José Manuel Barroso’s bid for a second term as head of the European Commission, EU president Sweden said yesterday, spelling more uncertainty over the top post.
Mr Barroso, named by EU leaders in June as their choice to lead the EU executive, has urged an early parliamentary decision. But the centre-right former Portuguese premier faces opposition from left-wing assembly members, who must approve his bid.
– (Reuters)
Nazi camp guard fit to stand trial
BERLIN – Accused Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk has been deemed fit enough by medical experts to stand trial for helping to kill 29,000 Jews in the second World War, the state prosecutors office in Munich said yesterday.
Demjanjuk (89) deported to Germany from the United States, has been held in a jail near Munich since May 12th. His trial is expected to be Germany’s final major Nazi-era war crimes case.
– (Reuters)
Barman jailed over teen’s death
BERLIN – A barman was jailed for three years yesterday for serving at least 44 shots of tequila to a 16-year-old German boy during a faked drinking contest that killed the teenager, Berlin’s state court said yesterday.
The barman (28) gave himself glasses of water, but served the teenager with alcohol. After an hour the boy fell into a coma and died five weeks later. – (Reuters)