Other stories from around the world in brief
Chavez forges alliance with Lukashenko
MINSK - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said yesterday he had forged a strategic alliance to stand up to US imperialism with fellow maverick Belarussian president Alexander Lukashenko.
"Our countries must keep their hands at the ready on the sword," said Mr Chavez, who is in ex-Soviet Belarus as part of a world tour, on a visit to a military academy.
"After a day of intensive work, we have created a strategic alliance between our countries," he said, speaking through an interpreter. "It is absolutely vital to protect our homeland, to guard against internal and external threats." - (Reuters)
Rioters in Congo dispersed by force
KINSHASA - Congolese police fired warning shots yesterday to disperse rioting opposition protesters in Kinshasa who tore down election posters, threatened foreigners and demanded the postponement of historic polls set for Sunday. The several thousand demonstrators, who want Democratic Republic of Congo's first multi-party polls in 40 years to be delayed because of political tensions and accusations of flaws, threw rocks and petrol bombs, blocking a highway into the city.
Chanting "Congo is for the Congolese", they accused the international community supporting the landmark elections of trying to engineer a victory for President Joseph Kabila. He is viewed as the frontrunner out of 32 presidential candidates. - (Reuters)
CIA gives key role to ex-officer
WASHINGTON - A veteran CIA officer who temporarily left the spy agency after clashing with former CIA director Porter Goss was officially named yesterday as the Central Intelligence Agency's new deputy director. In a move expected to boost morale at a US intelligence flagship that has lost status under reforms, CIA director Air Force Gen Michael Hayden announced the appointment of former clandestine operations chief Stephen Kappes as his second in command. - (Reuters)
ICFTU complains to UN over Iran
GENEVA - Global labour grouping ICFTU yesterday complained to the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) over what it said was a "terror campaign" in Iran to crush an independent trade union.
In a letter to ILO director general Juan Somavia, the grouping said the president of the syndicate of workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company had been jailed since December and union meetings had been broken up by police and vigilantes. - (Reuters)
Saddam lawyers to boycott trial
BAGHDAD - Lawyers for Saddam Hussein and his co-accused will boycott their trial until their demands for a fair trial and an inquiry into the killings of defence lawyers are met, a defence team member said yesterday.
"We will not return to court until our demands are implemented," said the lawyer, who asked to remain anonymous.
Saddam was fed through a tube on Sunday after 16 days of a hunger strike that created further disarray in a trial marred by the killings of three defence lawyers, the resignation of the first chief judge and court tirades. - (Reuters)
Swiss warn about internet addiction
ZURICH - Switzerland's financial capital of Zurich warned internet users yesterday about the dangers of addiction to chat rooms and sex sites. The canton's department for the prevention of addiction has launched a poster campaign for potential addicts.
"Spending lots of time in virtual worlds, especially chat rooms, online games and sex sites, can lead to a dependence comparable to other addictions," the department said. - (Reuters)