A round-up of today's other world news in brief ...
At least 41 die in Sadr City bomb attacks
BAGHDAD – At least 41 people were killed and 68 wounded yesterday when twin car bombs ripped through a busy market of Baghdad’s Sadr City slum, mowing down families as they crowded around a popular ice cream parlour.
A third car bomb planted in a taxi in the mainly Shia Muslim area was detonated by security forces. The blasts followed two days of suicide bombings last week in which 150 people died. – (Reuters)
Anti-Semitic murder trial opens
PARIS – A self-proclaimed “gang of barbarians” accused of kidnapping a young Jewish man in a Paris suburb, torturing him for 24 days and killing him, has gone on trial.
The death of Ilan Halimi (23) in 2006 horrified France and came to symbolise a rise in anti-Semitic violence in its poor, multi-ethnic suburbs.
The leader of the “barbarians”, Youssouf Fofana, smirked at Mr Halimi’s relatives and shouted “Allahu akbar!” (“God is Greatest!”) at them as he entered the courtroom yesterday. – (Reuters)
Generals held over Hariri killing freed
BEIRUT – Four Lebanese generals held over the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri have been freed after the first significant ruling by the special UN tribunal trying the case.
The court decision yesterday was broadcast live on television in Lebanon – and greeted with gunfire from jubilant supporters in Beirut – such is the interest in the murder of Mr Hariri and 22 others in February 2005.
The killings were widely blamed on Syria and its Lebanese allies. – (Guardian service)
Two jailed for terror camp plan
LONDON – Two men cleared of helping to plot the London suicide bombings in July 2005 have been jailed for seven years for planning to attend terrorism training camps in Pakistan.
Mohammed Shakil (32) and Waheed Ali (25), along with a third defendant Sadeer Saleem, were found not guilty on Tuesday of helping the London bombers to scout potential targets in the capital after a retrial at Kingston crown court. They were however convicted of conspiracy to attend a place used for terrorist training. – (Reuters)
Four more sacked over Baby P case
LONDON – Four more people have been sacked from the British social services department caught up in the Baby P scandal, Haringey council said last night.
Deputy director of children and families Celia Hitchen, social worker Maria Ward, team manager Gillie Christou and head of safeguarding services Clive Preece were all dismissed. – (PA)
Pope’s ‘sorrow’ over abuse
ROME – Pope Benedict has expressed his “sorrow” and offered “sympathy and prayerful solidarity” to a delegation of native Canadians for the suffering of Canadian Aboriginal children over decades in church-run residential schools, writes Paddy Agnew.
Meeting privately with the delegation after yesterday’s general audience, the pope emphasised that “acts of abuse cannot be tolerated in society”.
Thousands of native Canadian children were taken from their families and forced to abandon their language, customs and religion in a process of “forced acculturation”. Many were also sexually abused.
Mother held after girl found dead
LONDON – The mother of a four-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murder after her daughter was found dead. Officers found Chloe Fletcher at her home in Wallasey, Liverpool, after they were called by a family member. – (Reuters)