A round-up of other world news in brief
Hamas expects Gaza truce deal in next 3 days
GAZA – An Egyptian- mediated truce agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas would most likely be announced in the next three days, the Islamist group said.
“Most of the obstacles that prevented us from reaching an agreement were resolved and an announcement of a deal is expected within three days,” said Taher al-Nono, a member of Hamas’s negotiating team. – (Reuters)
Seven killed during police raid
NAZRAN – Four Russian policemen and three suspected rebels were killed yesterday when a residential building exploded during a police raid in Nazran, in the southern region of Ingushetia, officials said. – (Reuters)
Prince Harry to go on equality course
LONDON – Prince Harry is to be sent on an army equality and diversity course after he was reprimanded for calling an Asian army colleague a “Paki”, the Daily Mirror reported yesterday.
It will be the second such course the British prince has attended but this one will be more intensive than the standard class he took as a new army recruit. – (Reuters)
Body dragged by van through NY
NEW YORK – A man’s body was dragged almost 32km (20 miles) through New York after he was hit by a car and then trapped under a van and dragged away from the scene.
Ecuadorian Guido Salvador Carabajo-Jara was struck by the car as he attempted to cross the road. The driver stopped and reported the incident, only to find the victim gone when he returned to the scene. – (PA)
Boris Johnson’s swearing rant
LONDON – London mayor Boris Johnson launched an expletive-laden attack on the chairman of the UK home affairs select committee after being criticised for giving confused evidence, it was revealed yesterday.
Mr Johnson accused Keith Vaz of talking “bull****” and making him look like a “f***ing fool” during a heated phone call.
The rant emerged publicly after the Leicester East MP circulated a transcript of the conversation to committee colleagues, having apparently taped it without Mr Johnson’s knowledge. – (PA)
MEPs back music copyright plan
BRUSSELS – Plans to virtually double copyright protection for recording artists were backed by MEPs yesterday. If endorsed by EU governments, the move would give musicians and performers copyright safeguards for 95 years instead of losing the rights to their work after 50 years.
The idea was proposed by European internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy. – (PA)