Other world stories in brief
Sex abuse of children by aid workers 'rife'
LONDON- Sexual abuse of children by aid workers and peacekeepers is rife and efforts to protect young people are inadequate, according to a report published yesterday.
The study by charity Save the Children UK said there were significant levels of abuse in emergencies, much of it unreported and, unless the silence ended, attempts to stamp out exploitation would "remain fundamentally flawed".
Accusations of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers and aid workers around the world have increased in recent years and the UN is investigating claims against its soldiers in Haiti, Liberia, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo. - (Reuters)
Turkey criticises pace of EU talks
BRUSSELS- Turkey told the EU yesterday that the slow pace of its accession talks was causing public enthusiasm for membership of the bloc to wane, but the EU insisted it was up to Ankara to push harder on reforms.
Turkish foreign minister Ali Babacan cited one unnamed EU state in particular as holding up part of the talks started in 2005, an indirect reference to France and its president, Nicolas Sarkozy. - (Reuters)
24 killed in Afghan attacks
KABUL- Eleven civilians and 13 policemen were killed in a series of blasts and Taliban attacks in Afghanistan yesterday, officials said.
Nine police were killed in Taliban attacks in the Shor Abak district of Kandahar, provincial police chief Sayed Aqa Saqib said. - (Reuters)
Plan to name road after fascist
ROME- A proposal to name a street in Rome after fascist leader Giorgio Almirante has outraged the city's Jewish community, but could go ahead anyway with the support of the city's new right-wing mayor.
Almirante was a supporter of wartime dictator Benito Mussolini. He was an editorial assistant at the fascist magazine, Defence of the Race, from 1938 to 1942, and later founded the postwar neo-fascist Italian Social Movement (MSI). - (Reuters)
Judges for war crimes court
KAMPALA- Uganda has appointed judges to preside over a special war crimes tribunal to try leaders of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), which the rebels hope will help them avoid prosecution by an international court.
LRA leader Joseph Kony faces 33 counts at the International Criminal Court for crimes committed during the 21-year-old insurgency. - (Reuters)
Montenegro to apply to EU later
PODGORICA- Montenegro will postpone submitting its application for EU candidate status until later this year, the country's deputy prime minister said yesterday after meetings with EU officials.
Gordana Djurovic said "Montenegro is committed to a step-by-step fulfilment of all EU recommendations" and wants to "strengthen capacities in those institutions where it is necessary". Montenegro initially wanted to apply by the end of June. - (Reuters)
Airlines to start emissions trading
BRUSSELS- MEPs threw down the gauntlet to struggling airlines yesterday by voting overwhelmingly to include aviation in Europe's emissions trading scheme (ETS) a year earlier than planned.
The European Parliament's environment committee said airlines should be covered by the ETS from 2011 rather than 2012 as proposed by the European Commission and the 27 national governments. - (Guardian service)