A roundup of today's other world stories in brief:
Truck driver denies Ipswich murders
IPSWICH -A forklift truck driver accused of murdering five women in eastern England will go on trial next year after he denied the charges in court yesterday.
Steve Wright (49) was arrested following one of the nation's biggest manhunts after five prostitutes were murdered in the space of 11 days in December last year.
In a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court, Mr Wright was asked how he pleaded to the charge of murder in the case of each of the five women. He replied each time in a clear firm voice: "Not guilty." The trial is scheduled to start on January 14th next year and is due to last up to eight weeks.
- (Reuters)
Climate change envoys appointed
UNITED NATIONS- UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon yesterday appointed three international figures to recommend a global response to climate change.
The envoys are former Norwegian prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos and former South Korean foreign minister Han Seung-soo.
A UN spokeswoman said the three would come up with proposals for a critical UN conference in Bali, Indonesia in December and perhaps a high-level conference on the subject during the General Assembly in September.
- (Reuters)
Iran to tell US and UK to quit Iraq
TEHRAN- Iran will tell the US and Britain to get their troops out of Iraq and leave the problem for neighbouring countries to sort out when regional and western foreign ministers, including the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, meet at a special Iraq summit in Egypt later this week.
Although no bilateral meetings between Dr Rice and her Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, are planned, both sides have indicated a willingness to talk on the sidelines of the Sharm el-Sheikh conference about Iraq's security.
- (Guardian service)
Mine owner gets life over 21 deaths
BEIJING- A Chinese court has jailed a colliery owner for life in an unprecedented move to improve safety standards in the world's deadliest coal industry.
Wang Jianjun was found guilty of covering up an accident which killed 21 people and delayed rescue work by almost two days.
On March 18th a gas explosion at Wang's mine trapped 21 miners. Instead of calling the rescue services, Wang tried to cover up the accident. He cut the cables of the pit shaft, and told inspectors the mine was closed. He ordered other mine workers to stay home and promised victims' families hush money if they kept quiet. His actions delayed rescue work by 44 hours and condemned the men to death.
- (Guardian service)
Palestinian workers to strike
RAMALLAH- Tens of thousands of Palestinian civil workers will strike today to protest at the government's failure to secure their full wages, unpaid since the militant Hamas group came to power in March 2006.
Government workers' union chief Bassam Zakarneh threatened a new round of work stoppages by more than 65,000 employees to demand full pay and back pay.
- (Reuters)
Spector trial in recess over illness
LOS ANGELES- Testimony was postponed until next week in the murder trial of rock producer Phil Spector because of the illness of his lead defence attorney.
Court was unexpectedly recessed on Monday and jurors sent home after defence lawyer Bruce Cutler became ill. Prosecutors and the rest of Spector's defence team are expected to meet without jurors today to hammer out legal issues.
- (Reuters)