A round-up of today's other world news in brief
Picasso's pad stolen in Paris museum raid
PARIS – A sketchbook that belonged to Pablo Picasso worth several million euros has been stolen from a Paris museum after the case it was in was left unlocked, police and museum staff said yesterday.
The theft at the Picasso Museum in the heart of Paris occurred overnight but there was no sign the building had been broken into, police said.
“The lock of the display cabinet was not closed because it was broken,” an employee said, adding the sketchbook was on display in a place that was difficult to monitor. – (Reuters)
Accession talks set to be tough
BRUSSELS – Sweden expects accession talks with Turkey and Croatia to be difficult during its six-month presidency of the European Union, and progress may not be possible, Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said yesterday.
Mr Reinfeldt said that although Sweden was a strong supporter of enlarging the EU, it would take into account views of member states which are more resistant to further expansion when it takes over the presidency on July 1st.
He urged Turkey to carry out reforms faster and made clear progress in Croatia’s accession talks could remain stalled over a border dispute with Slovenia. – (Reuters)
Al-Qaeda suspect in trial transfer
WASHINGTON – An al-Qaeda suspect accused in the 1998 US Embassy bombings in Africa was transferred from Guantánamo Bay yesterday for prosecution in a New York court, the justice department said.
Ahmed Ghailani will become the first Guantánamo detainee to go on trial in a civilian US court. He was to make an appearance in federal court in Manhattan later in the day, the department said in a statement. – (Reuters)
Asylum granted to Peruvian chief
MANAGUA – Nicaragua’s left-wing government has granted political asylum to Peruvian indigenous leader Alberto Pizango, wanted in Lima on charges that he fomented protests against Amazon oil exploration that killed 60 people.
Nicaragua’s ambassador in Peru, Tomas Borge, said yesterday that Pizango sought asylum in the Nicaraguan embassy in the Peruvian capital.
Thousands of Indians armed with wooden spears fought Peruvian security forces in two days of battles last week in the worst unrest of President Alan Garcia’s government. – (Reuters)
Hearings for top US court nominee
WASHINGTON – US Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor will begin on July 13th, a top Democrat said yesterday, and a Republican lawmaker predicted she would be easily approved.
Senate judiciary committee chairman Patrick Leahy unveiled the date after talks with his panel’s top Republican member on when to start public questioning of President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Justice David Souter. – (Reuters)