Today's other stories in brief
Karzai warns US over deaths of civilians
KABUL - President Hamid Karzai yesterday warned that Afghan patience was wearing thin over the killing of civilians by Western forces hunting Taliban guerrillas, saying further deaths would lead to bad consequences.
Nearly 60 civilians have been killed in raids by US-led troops in the past week, Afghan officials say, sparking four days so far of anti-American, anti-Karzai protests. - (Reuters)
Warrants out over Darfur crimes
THE HAGUE - The international criminal court in The Hague announced yesterday that it had issued arrest warrants for a Janjaweed militia leader and a Sudanese government minister suspected of involvement in murder, torture and rape in Darfur.
However, Khartoum said it had no intention of handing over the men - Ali Muhammad al Abd-al-Rahman, known as "Ali Kushayb", and Ahmad Muhammad Harun, the state minister for humanitarian affairs, who are accused of 41 and 50 counts respectively of crimes against humanity and war crimes. - ( Guardian service)
Palestinian public workers strike
RAMALLAH - Tens of thousands of Palestinian workers staged a one-day strike yesterday to protest against the government's inability to pay full wages since Hamas Islamists came to power more than a year ago. "Today's strike is a warning. If the government does not heed our demands, then I am afraid we are heading towards an open-ended strike," government workers' union chief Bassam Zakarneh said. - (Reuters)
Blair rules out new July 7th inquiry
LONDON - Tony Blair yesterday ruled out demands for a new inquiry into the July 7th bombings amid claims that MI5 overlooked crucial evidence that could have prevented the attacks.
In the Commons, the prime minister said a fresh inquiry would be a "mistake" and would undermine support for the security services in the fight against terrorism. - (PA)
EU shifts focus from farming
BRUSSELS - The EU will spend more on modernising the EU economy than on agriculture next year, the first time farmers have been knocked off top spot in the bloc's annual budget.
Spending by the EU executive for 2008, as proposed by the commission, is set to rise by 2 per cent from spending levels in 2007 to €129.2 billion. - (Reuters)