Today's other stories in brief
Pro-junta forces break up Burma rally
RANGOON - Pro-junta forces broke up a rally by supporters of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday, detaining several members of the crowd chanting for her release on her 63rd birthday, a senior opposition member said.
At least six truckloads of Swan-Arr-Shin or "Masters of Force" gang members waded into the crowd outside the headquarters of Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, one witness said. - (Reuters)
No Italian trial for US soldier
ROME - A US soldier who killed an Italian agent in Iraq will not be tried in Italy after its highest court upheld a ruling to drop a murder case against him, the soldier's lawyer said on yesterday.
US soldier Mario Lozano was being tried in absentia in Rome for shooting Italian agent Nicola Calipari at a checkpoint outside Baghdad airport in 2005. Calipari, a hero in Italy, was escorting a newly freed Italian hostage out of Iraq. - (Reuters)
Three jailed for fire that killed 55
RABAT - A Moroccan court has jailed three men for between two and four years for a fire at a Casablanca mattress factory that killed 55 people in one of the country's worst industrial accidents, official media reported yesterday.
The factory owner got four years for manslaughter and criminal negligence. The worker whose discarded cigarette caused the April 26th blaze was also jailed for four years for involuntarily starting the fire. - (Reuters)
Serb court jails security officials
BELGRADE - Serbia's supreme court yesterday convicted a group of former state security and special police officers of the attempted murder of opposition leader Vuk Draskovic in 1999 and the killing of four of his aides.
Former intelligence chief Radomir Markovic, special police commander Milorad "Legija" Ulemek and his unit members, Nenad Ilic and Branko Bercek, got the maximum 40-year sentences. - (Reuters)
Rebels threaten to kill hostages
DUBAI - A Sunni rebel group holding Iranian policemen hostage said in a video it would kill the men if authorities did not free jailed rebels, Al-Arabiya television reported yesterday.
The video from Jundollah (God's Soldiers), whom Iran has linked to al-Qaeda, showed the hostages, some sobbing, flanked by masked armed rebels. - (Reuters)
Georgia warned over peacekeepers
MOSCOW - Russia has warned it might have to use force against Georgia if Russian peacekeepers are attacked again.
Gen Lieut Alexander Burutin told reporters in Moscow yesterday that peacekeeping troops in Georgia showed "considerable restraint" when they were detained earlier this week. - (Reuters)
Hirst to auction new works
LONDON - Sotheby's will auction a series of new works by British artist Damien Hirst, including a trademark animal preserved in formaldehyde that is expected to fetch up to £12 million (€15.3 million).
Hirst said he chose to sell his latest work in the auction room rather than the gallery because "the world's changing". - (Reuters)
Gunmen kidnap US oil ship captain
ABUJA - The US captain of an oil supply vessel operating off Nigeria was kidnapped by gunmen yesterday, shortly after they attacked Royal Dutch Shell's main offshore oilfield, the Nigerian navy said. - (Reuters)