Today's other stories in brief
Radical cleric facing US extradition
LONDON - The British radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza lost his appeal yesterday against a decision to extradite him to the US, where he faces terror-related charges. Two high court judges in London ruled that the decision was "unassailable".
Egyptian-born Hamza (51), from west London, is serving seven years at Belmarsh top security prison in London for stirring up racial hatred and inciting followers to murder non-believers.
The US authorities want him to stand trial for attempting to set up an al-Qaeda training camp in Bly, Oregon, and for involvement in hostage-taking in Yemen and terrorist activities in Afghanistan.
He could face 11 terrorism charges, including sending money and recruits to assist the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Sir Igor Judge and Mr Justice Sullivan gave his lawyers 14 days to apply for permission to launch a final appeal to the House of Lords. - (Guardian service)
Suspect on war crime charge
BELGRADE - Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect Stojan Zupljanin, arrested earlier this month, will be extradited to The Hague from Serbia today, Serbian officials said.
Arrested on June 11th in the Serbian city of Pancevo, former police chief Zupljanin was one of the four remaining fugitives wanted by the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia for war crimes during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia.
He is currently in custody.
Serbia's justice ministry said in a statement it had signed the extradition order. A source close to the proceedings told Reuters that Zupljanin would be sent to The Hague in a plane on Saturday morning.
Serbia's cooperation with the Hague Tribunal has been set as a pre-condition for the countrys progress towards closer ties with the European Union. - (Reuters)
New oil minister in Norway
OSLO - The Norwegian government appointed the Centre Party's Terje Riis-Johansen its new oil minister last night, a day after his predecessor resigned, and the Labour Party reshuffled three portfolios in the coalition.
Mr Riis-Johansen (40) was minister of agriculture and food in the three-party coalition government of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. The farm and food portfolio will be taken by Lars Peder Brekk, deputy leader of the Centre Party.
Oil and gas account for a quarter of Norway's GDP. Analysts said the change would have no effect on policy. - (Reuters)
Forest fires under control
ATHENS - A forest fire that raged near the Greek capital, damaging holiday homes, was brought under control late yesterday with no casualties reported, fire fighters said. "It burned two homes but it is mostly put out," said a police official.
Scores of firefighters and 12 aircraft battled the blaze, which, fanned by strong winds, threatened the coastal town of Kalamos, 35 km (22 miles) northeast of Athens. - (Reuters)
Troops hunt rebel fighters
ABUJA - Nigerian president Umaru YarAdua has ordered the countrys armed forces to tighten security in the Niger Delta and hunt down militants behind an attack on Shell's main offshore oil facility, his office said yesterday.
Nigeria's armed forces and security agencies had been told to take "all necessary action" to apprehend militants who attacked Royal Dutch Shell's Bonga oilfield, which lies some 120 km (75 miles) offshore, in the early hours of Thursday.
The attack forced the Anglo-Dutch giant to stop production at Bonga.- (Reuters)