A round-up of other world news in brief
Korean rockets an issue for UN - Obama
LONDON – US president Barack Obama told Chinese president Hu Jintao that the United States would likely refer the issue to the UN Security Council if North Korea goes ahead with its planned rocket launch, a US official said.
The Chinese are concerned about the prospect of a launch,” the official said after Mr Obama met Mr Hu on the sidelines of the G20 summit in London. Asked whether Mr Hu had indicated how China would respond to any Security Council move, the official said: “They have not said that they would block action.” – (Reuters)
Pakistan, Afghans adopt closer ties
ANKARA – Pakistan and Afghanistan pledged closer co-operation in the fight against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants during a summit hosted by Turkey yesterday.
Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of not doing enough to stop militants crossing the border to carry out attacks, but ties have improved under Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari, whose country is facing a growing Islamist insurgency. The Obama administration wants more regional support in Afghanistan.
Mr Zardari and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, after a day of high-level talks in Ankara, agreed to boost military and political ties to tackle violence. – (Reuters)
Major find of artefacts in Iraq
BAGHDAD – Iraqi archaeologists have discovered 4,000 artefacts mostly from ancient Babylonian times, including royal seals, talismans and clay tablets marked in Sumerian cuneiform – the earliest known form of writing.
The treasures came to light after two years of excavations across 20 sites in the regions between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
As well as Babylonian artefacts, there were finds from the Persian empire and more recent medieval Islamic cities. – (Reuters)
US court finds for death row inmates
WASHINGTON – Poor death row inmates seeking clemency from state officials have a right to lawyers paid by the federal government, the US Supreme Court ruled.
By a 7-2 vote, the court handed a victory to Edward Jerome Harbison, a Tennessee death row inmate convicted in the 1983 beating death of an elderly woman.
The court majority rejected the Bush administration’s argument that a federal law for indigent capital defendants does not extend government support to pay for lawyers for state clemency proceedings. – (Reuters)
Inquiry into bank appointment
PARIS – The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary inquiry into whether there was a conflict of interest in a former adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy being made head of a bank whose merger he piloted.
Francois Perol was appointed head of the Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne in February when he was Mr Sarkozy’s deputy chief of staff. Politicians across the spectrum accused the president of an abuse of power. Police sources said the preliminary investigation had been opened and handed over to specialist financial police following complaints by anti-corruption and taxpayers’ rights groups. – (Reuters)
Putin’s tea gone to the dog
NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia – Vladimir Putin’s pet dog gobbled up a special tea prepared for bosses of Russia’s ruling party yesterday.
While Mr Putin discussed ways to help the local food industry, his favourite black Labrador, Koni, slinked into a room at his residence and tucked into delicacies prepared for leaders of his United Russia party. – (Reuters)