A roundup of today's other world news in brief
Iraq ‘unable’ to hold election in January
BAGHDAD – Iraq will be unable to hold a general election in January as planned, a poll official said yesterday, heaping more uncertainty on a vote meant to cement democracy and pave the way for a partial US troop withdrawal.
The election was due to be held between January 18th and 23rd, but Iraqi vice- president Tareq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Muslim, last week vetoed a law needed to hold the polls on the grounds that Iraqis abroad were under- represented. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis fled after the US invasion, and many are Sunni. – (Reuters)
Ex-PM to take over from Van Rompuy
BRUSSELS – Incoming European Council president Herman Van Rompuy is preparing to stand down as Belgian prime minister following a deal in which his predecessor, Yves Leterme, will return to lead the country’s government, writes Arthur Beesley.
Mr Leterme resigned last December on foot of a court scandal linked to the bailout of Fortis bank, but returned to government as foreign minister last summer after his name was cleared.
Estimated 33.4m people have Aids
SHANGHAI – An estimated 33.4 million people worldwide are infected with the Aids virus, according to a report issued yesterday by the World Health Organisation and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids.
The figure is up from 33 million in 2007. However, the report said more people were living longer due to the availability of HIV drugs.
“The number of Aids-related deaths has declined by over 10 per cent over the past five years as more people gained access to life-saving treatment,” it added. – (Reuters)
Pakistani army kills 18 militants
LANDIKOTAL – Pakistani soldiers killed 18 militants yesterday in a campaign to break a network carrying out bombings and orchestrating attacks on western forces’ supplies to Afghanistan, a security official said.
Any heavy casualties inflicted on militants in the Khyber region could ease concerns in Washington, which wants Pakistan to root out fighters along the border to help it defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan. – (Reuters)