French police put on high alert
By Christine Shubert,WNS France Bureau ChiefPARIS - French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has ordered police to be on maximum alert in areas where outbreaks of violence could occur. Several buses have been torched in the run-up to the anniversary of last year's widespread rioting in suburban areas. Mr Sarkozy said that all "sensitive" bus routes would be protected. "We will do everything possible to ensure that public services are not disrupted anywhere," he said.
This time last year saw three weeks of violent clashes between youths of mainly North African origin and police in suburbs throughout France, when more than 10,000 cars were set alight and 300 buildings firebombed. Thursday saw armed youths hijack and set fire to a bus in the suburbs of Paris, while hooded gangs torched two others on Wednesday night. Mr Sarkozy, a conservative front-runner in next year's presidential election, said the media should act responsibly in reporting on the anniversary of last year's violence, to avert "copycat" crimes. "We should not give any publicity to people who want nothing else," he said. A security services report leaked to a French newspaper this week said that the conditions that led to last year's riots were still in place. Law and order has become a major issue, with presidential elections due next year. Candidates from the two biggest parties have promised a tough approach to crime.
Youths torch two buses near Paris
By Henry Mark,WNS Paris CorrespondentPARIS - Youths in the Paris suburbs have attacked two buses in separate incidents on the eve of the anniversary of rioting among immigrant communities. In Nanterre, northwestern Paris, about 10 passengers fled a bus as masked youths set it ablaze, police said. A similar attack happened in Bagnolet, eastern Paris, where a youth held a gun to the bus driver's head while others set it on fire, officials said. Police report a spate of youth violence ahead of the anniversary. Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie accused the youths of attempted murder in the latest incidents. A security services report leaked to a French newspaper this week said that the conditions that led to last year's riots were still in place. Several hundred youths, of largely African and North African descent, marched to the National Assembly in Paris on Wednesday to present a list of complaints to the government. They called for more action to tackle discrimination and more jobs and training for the young. "Lots of people don't believe what we're doing. They don't understand the potential," Abdel Zahiri, one of the marchers, told the Associated Press news agency. "The risk of violence exists, but hope exists, too," he said. About 9,000 cars were torched in the three weeks of unrest last year, which spread through the country's housing estates - dominated by immigrants and their French-born children. A police official in Nanterre said the bus was attacked on Wednesday by a gang of youths armed with a flammable liquid. "There were at least 10 passengers on board, who only just had enough time to get out. Thankfully there was nobody with any handicaps on board, or it could have ended badly," he told the AFP news agency. Separately, bus routes in the Essonne area, south of Paris, were suspended because of fears of attack. Law and order have become major issues with presidential elections due next year. Candidates from the two biggest parties have promised a tough approach to crime.
European ministers discuss terror
By Paula White,WNS UK Senior CorrespondentLONDON - Challenging extremist ideas and finding ways to pre-empt terror attacks will be discussed when six European interior ministers meet in the UK. Home Secretary John Reid will host his counterparts from Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Poland for two days. The ministers will also discuss how to encourage dialogue with Muslim communities, international organised crime and illegal migration. The Home Office said the meeting would "explore how they can work together". The meeting was aimed at sharing ideas and "best practice" rather than taking concrete decisions, it said. On Thursday, the ministers will discuss how to shut off illegal immigration routes and how to work with unspecified third countries to control migration flows. They will also debate how to reduce the harm caused by organised crime, including value added tax (VAT) fraud and trafficking of drugs and people. Known as the G6, the group has no formal decision-making powers, nor any direct impact on EU policy, but they do show the position of the countries which together account for three-quarters of the EU's population. The G6 meeting comes just days after counter-terrorism officials revealed their belief that al-Qaeda has become more organised and sophisticated and has made Britain its top target. The G6 group was established in 2003 - initially as G5 before Poland joined - and meets two to three times a year. The meeting is being held in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
France gears up for April polls
By Henry Mark,WNS Paris CorrespondentPARIS - The French government has set 22 April 2007 as the date for the presidential election, with parliamentary elections scheduled for 10 and 17 June. In the presidential poll a second round run-off will be held on 6 May between the two leading candidates. President Jacques Chirac's five-year term expires in mid-May. He is not expected to run for a third term. Nicolas Sarkozy is tipped to be the ruling UMP's candidate, while Segolene Royal is the Socialist front-runner.
Mr Chirac has been president since 1995. His government faced a wave of street violence in autumn 2005 by youths in deprived suburbs and mass protests earlier this year over controversial employment legislation. The Socialist Party is due to announce its presidential candidate on 26 November. The right-wing UMP will name its candidate on 17 January. On 9 April the presidential election campaign will officially get under way.
Bulgarian president faces run-off
By Ian Nathan,WNS Bulgaria CorrespondentSOFIA - Incumbent Georgi Parvanov has won the first round of Bulgaria's presidential election but faces a run-off because of low turnout, partial results suggest. With almost half the ballots counted, the socialist leader has more than 60% of the vote, compared with ultra-nationalist Volen Siderov's 22%. But with turnout short of the 50% mark, the two men will run again next Sunday. If Mr Parvanov wins, he will be the first Bulgarian president to win a second term.
"This is a good basis for achieving final victory in a week's time," he told journalists. "Support for us is support for our policy of unifying the nation," he said. The presidency is largely a figurehead position, as power lies with the prime minister. But the 49-year-old historian is respected for his efforts to raise Bulgaria's international profile ahead of Nato and EU membership. Mr Siderov, 50, is a populist figure who has hit out at minority groups and attacked the government over privatisation deals. The low turnout was blamed on poverty among large segments of the population and unhappiness over the government's economic and social reforms. Full official results from the first round should be released on Monday or Tuesday.
Iceland 'breaks ban on whaling'
By Sam Mackintosh,WNS Europe Bureau ChiefLONDON - Iceland has reportedly broken a 21-year-old international ban on commercial whaling by killing a fin whale - an endangered species. "One fin whale was caught today and will be landed tomorrow," a whalers' spokesman told Reuters news agency. The move follows the country's announcement that it planned to resume commercial hunting of whales. Norway is the only other nation that allows commercial whaling. Japan says it hunts for scientific research. The International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling under a moratorium imposed in 1985. Iceland is a member of the IWC, having rejoined in 2002 after a 10-year absence.
But in a statement on Tuesday, Iceland's fisheries ministry announced its new plans. Whaling vessels would take nine fin whales and 30 minke whales each year, the ministry said, adding that catches would remain within sustainable limits. Fin whales are listed as an endangered species by the World Conservation Union, but Iceland maintains numbers are high enough to permit hunting. Rune Froevik, spokesman from a Norway-based group representing the interests of Arctic fishing communities, said the whale that had been caught by an Icelandic vessel was about 65-70 ft (20m) long.
The announcement has angered conservation groups and anti-whaling nations, with some talking of a legal challenge. It has also had an effect on the country's tourism industry, with cancellations reported by whale-watching companies. "We have received several e-mails from people saying they have decided not to visit Iceland as long as Iceland is conducting whaling," Thorunn Harvardottir, who runs a whale-watching company, told French news agency AFP. The European Commission has urged Iceland to reconsider its decision.
Putin firm on EU energy charter
By Jerome Hart,WNS EU CorrespondentLONDON - Russian President Vladimir Putin has resisted EU calls to sign an existing international treaty on investment and trade in energy. But says he thinks Russia and the EU can agree binding rules. They begin talks on a new strategic partnership in the next few weeks, and Mr Putin says he is confident it would be possible to find common approaches. At an EU summit in Finland, Mr Putin also hit out at Georgian leaders, accusing them of building up forces. The EU has been trying for years to get Russia to sign the Energy Charter Treaty without success. It now wants to enshrine many of the treaty's principles into the new framework agreement with Russia. The aim is to make it easier for European companies to invest in the Russian energy sector, and to use Russian pipelines to export the oil and gas they produce. The pact would also be designed to ensure that Russia treated all European countries equally, and to lay the basis for a long-term trade partnership.
Russia supplies a quarter of the oil and gas consumed in the EU, and the proportion is set to rise sharply in coming decades. Mr Putin suggested that Russia could agree to most of the charter's principles when negotiations begin. "We are not against the principles that are included in the charter, but we believe that that certain provisions of the charter should be defined better," he said. "I am quite confident that we will be in a position to develop common approaches." Mr Putin echoed European leaders by saying that energy co-operation needed to be rooted in the principles of predictability of energy markets and the mutual interdependence of suppliers and consumers.
EU to discuss energy with Putin
By Jerome Hart,WNS EU CorrespondentLONDON - European Union leaders are meeting in southern Finland to discuss how to ensure stable supplies of energy. They will be joined for dinner by Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country supplies a quarter of the gas and oil consumed in the EU. The leaders will urge Mr Putin to improve conditions for EU companies to invest in Russian energy projects. They will also call on Russia to find the killer of the murdered journalist, Anna Politkovskaya. The summit's Finnish hosts say its purpose is to encourage the EU to "speak with one voice" in its energy dealings with Russia. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has urged his fellow leaders to put climate change at the centre of their discussions. In a pre-summit letter to European leaders, Mr Blair said only 10 to 15 years remained before a "catastrophic tipping point" was reached in global climate change. The European Commission wants to avoid a situation where Russia sells energy to one EU country on one set of terms, and to another on less advantageous terms. They also want European investors to have the same access to the Russian energy market as Russian companies have to Europe's market, and the ability to use Russian pipelines to export any gas and oil they produce in Russia.
Before they meet Mr Putin, the leaders will also discuss proposals for increasing energy imports from the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Caspian, Middle East and Gulf regions. A Russian official quoted by Reuters said Mr Putin was ready to address European concerns about energy and that Moscow expected the discussion would take place in the "traditional good atmosphere".
Dozens seized in Italy mafia raid
By Patrick Anson,
WNS Italy Bureau ChiefROME - Police in Italy say they have arrested 36 suspected mafia members in Calabria, in the far south of the country. The alleged gangsters were wanted for 40 murders committed during a war between rival mafia clans. A police spokesman said in one case a child was tortured to reveal secrets about his family, and then killed. Another murder was the 1985 killing of Sergio Cosmai, the director of a prison in Calabria who tried to break up the power of the mafia in his jail. Police spokesman Giampaolo Ganzer said the arrests were aimed at ending the turf war between families of the 'Ndrangheta (loyalty), as the mafia in Calabria is known. "We have tried to carry out a far-reaching activity," Mr Ganzer told Italian radio, "targeting all the families which have grown roots over the years and singling out those responsible for crimes." Police also blamed the 'Ndrangheta for the murder of a Calabrian opposition politician, Francesco Fortugno, last October. Italian officials have said the 'Ndrangheta has become the most powerful and dangerous criminal organisation in Italy - stronger even than the more well-known Sicilian Cosa Nostra or the Neapolitan Camorra. Decades of emigration from Calabria, a traditionally poor region of Italy, have allowed the 'Ndrangheta to set up outposts in the Americas and Australia.
The connection with South America has made the group a major player in the international cocaine trade. The 'Ndrangheta established itself with kidnappings before diversifying into drug smuggling and money laundering as well as the more traditional mafia pursuits of usury and extortion. Unlike the Cosa Nostra, the 'Ndrangheta is made up of loose family groups based on blood relationships and marriages. Strict adherence to a code of silence means that police attempts to infiltrate the gangs or convince members to turn state's evidence seldom bear fruit.
Turkish PM admitted to hospital
By Luke Cruise,WNS Turkey CorrespondentANKARA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in hospital after suffering a drop in blood sugar but is in a stable condition, officials say. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said Mr Erdogan's sudden illness was caused by a mix of intense work and fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. "There's no cause for alarm. Everything is under control," Mr Gul said.
Mr Erdogan had been due to address his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK). The meeting has been cancelled. Local TV media reported that the premier was taken to hospital after he had difficulty pushing open a car door, and that his security guards had to break a window to let him out. However, Mr Erdogan's spokesman, Akif Beki, said the prime minister had had trouble leaving the vehicle because of a problem with the door's locking system.
The 52-year-old leads an active lifestyle that includes a lot of foreign travel. In recent weeks he has visited the US, UK and Saudi Arabia. He spent a brief time in hospital in April after suffering from a muscular spasm.
Two metro trains collide in Rome
By Patrick Anson,WNS Italy Bureau ChiefROME - One person was killed and about 60 were injured when two metro trains collided during the morning rush hour in Rome, officials say. The crash took place at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II station in the centre of the Italian capital. The trains were travelling on metro line A. The square above has been cordoned off. Police and firemen are at the scene. Passengers said the crash happened when one train arriving at the station crashed into the back of another. It has been confirmed so far that one passenger has died, a 30-year-old woman. It was earlier reported that the driver of the second train had also been killed, but the metro company denied this, saying he was seriously injured and in hospital. All of the estimated 250 injured or trapped have been extracted from the wreckage and taken to hospitals around Rome, reports say. Around 30 people are said to have suffered serious injuries. Lights at the station had gone out, and there was a lot of dust and smoke, which hampered rescue efforts. The crash happened at 0937 (0737 GMT), one stop away from the mainline train terminus in Rome, reports say. One train was stopped at the station platform to let passengers get off when the second train crashed into it from the back, leaving its front carriage concertinaed, passengers said. "I saw the train in front and it seemed as though it was getting closer and closer to us and nothing was happening," Fabbiano De Santis, a lawyer, told Italian television. "I realised there was going to be an impact and so I managed to move forward in the carriage and I saw the train came towards me. It was a very strong impact." Italian television showed images of victims being carried out on stretchers while other passengers emerged looking dazed. Some were spattered with blood.
Russia cadets hit in road carnage
By Niki Owen,WNS Moscow CorrespondentMOSCOW - Six Russian cadet soldiers were killed and at least 19 others injured when a suspected drunken driver ploughed into them as they marched along a road. They were part of a column of about 190 returning to a training camp near the western city of Ryazan late at night. A Lada car hit the group at high speed, according to reports. Police and prosecutors said the 21-year-old driver was "in a state of strong alcoholic inebriation" and did not have a driving licence.
The third-year cadet paratroopers from Ryazan Airborne Troops College were on a 60km march back to a camp near the city at 2300 local time (1900 GMT) when the incident happened. The cadets were reportedly on a road 30 metres (yards) wide, with broad verges. They had been wearing reflective orange jackets and had gestured to the car with torches. But the driver did not respond and suddenly lost control, ramming the column of troops, Itar-Tass news agency said. There were four or five other people in the car besides the driver - all allegedly drunk. Itar-Tass said they tried to escape after the crash but were captured by police officers. Observers say fatal road accidents are frequent in Russia and that drivers often abuse alcohol.
Sweden's trade minister resigns
By James Beck,WNS Sweden CorrespondentSTOCKHOLM - Sweden's trade minister has resigned over allegations of tax evasion after just one week in office, saying media pressure has made her life impossible. Maria Borelius earlier admitted hiring nannies without paying taxes and employers' fees. Other government figures have also been under fire, including Culture Minister Cecilia Stego Chilos who admitted failing to pay television licence fees. But PM Fredrik Reinfeldt has ruled out any major changes for his coalition. The prime minister said it would be "a mistake to believe that the [media] reports of the last days will be decisive for the alliance's policies". Ms Borelius issued a statement saying she was giving up both her cabinet post and her seat in parliament because media pressure had made "a normal family life impossible". She has also faced media allegations that her wealthy family avoided property taxes on a summer house and failed to notify the authorities about share deals. She has welcomed a government inquiry into her financial dealings over the property, Reuters reports. It has also emerged that Ms Borelius and another minister did not buy the 1,500 kronor (£109; US$200) a year television licence - along with Ms Chilos who is responsible for administering the fee.
The scandals have hit the centre-right government of Fredrik Reinfeldt only a week after the new leader named his cabinet. A close-run election in September saw former prime minister Goran Persson's Social Democrat party ousted after 12 years in power. The Social Democrats have held power in all but nine years since 1932. Mr Reinfeldt's four-party alliance campaigned on a pledge to reform Sweden's generous welfare model which relies on some of the world's highest taxes.
Muslim clerics reach out to Pope
By Pamela Quest,WNS Rome CorrespondentROME - An open letter to the Pope from 38 top Muslim clerics in various countries accepts his expressions of regret for his controversial speech on Islam. But the lengthy letter carried on the website of Islamica magazine also points out "errors" and "mistakes" in the Pope's speech. The clerics' letter is due to be passed to the Vatican on Sunday.
Pope Benedict sparked an uproar in September by quoting a mediaeval text which linked Islam to violence. He has not apologised for the speech delivered in Regensburg, Germany, but said he regretted the offence it had caused among Muslims.
The clerics, who come from Bosnia, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Kosovo, Oman, Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Iran, say they accept the Pope's "unprecedented personal expression of sorrow". Islamica magazine, which is based in Los Angeles, said the letter would be handed over to the papal nuncio in Jordan on Sunday.
Nobel for anti-poverty pioneers
By John Richard,WNS Norway CorrespondentOSLO - Bangladesh's Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank have been awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Mr Yunus, an economist, founded the bank, which is one of the pioneers of micro-credit lending schemes for the poor in Bangladesh. The bank is renowned for lending money to the least well-off, especially women, so that they can launch their own businesses. The winners receive a prize of 10m Swedish kronor ($1.07m, £730,000)."I'm very very happy. It's a great honour for us and for Bangladesh. It's a recognition of our work," Mr Yunus told WNS, "As a Bangladeshi, I'm proud that we have given something to the world. Our work has now been recognised by the whole world. " The winners were revealed by the Nobel committee chairman, Ole Danbolt Mjoes, in Oslo. Mr Mjoes said Mr Yunus had shown himself to be a leader who had managed to translate visions into practical action for the benefit of millions of people. He and the bank were being honoured "for their efforts to create economic and social development from below", Mr Mjoes said. He said the bank's work in creating opportunities for large numbers of people to get out of poverty created the conditions for sustainable peace. "Development such as this is useful in human rights and democracy," said Mr Mjoes. He says in awarding this prize to an economist, the Nobel Committee has again shown itself willing to widen the scope of the prestigious prize. Mr Yunus set up the bank in 1976 with just $27 from his own pocket. Thirty years on, the bank has 6.6 million borrowers, of which 97% are women, according to the Grameen website. Mr Yunus is expected to pick up the award and prize money during a ceremony in Oslo in December.
Turkey condemns 'genocide' vote
By Luke Cruise,
WNS Turkey CorrespondentANKARA - Turkey has condemned a French parliamentary vote which would make it a crime to deny that Armenians suffered "genocide" at the hands of the Turks. Turkey called it a "serious blow" to relations and has threatened sanctions. The vote was also criticised by the EU. The bill, tabled by the opposition but opposed by the French government, needs approval from the Senate and president.
Armenia says Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people systematically in 1915 - a claim strongly denied by Turkey. There are accusations in Turkey that the Armenian diaspora and opponents of Turkey's European Union membership bid are using the issue to stop it joining the 25-member bloc. Turkey has been warning France for weeks not to pass the bill which was sponsored by the opposition Socialist party. It provides for a year in jail and a 45,000-euro (£30,000) fine - the same punishment that is imposed for denying the Nazi Holocaust."Turkish-French relations, which have been meticulously developed over the centuries, took a severe blow today through the irresponsible initiatives of some short-sighted French politicians, based on unfounded allegations," the Turkish foreign ministry said. The European Commission has said that if the bill becomes law it will "prohibit dialogue which is necessary for reconciliation" between Turkey and Armenia.
Officials shun reporter's funeral
By Gary James,WNS Russia Bureau ChiefMOSCOW - Hundreds of Russians, journalists and Western diplomats filed past an open casket Tuesday to pay their respects to slain reporter Anna Politkovskaya, a prominent Kremlin critic whose contract-style killing triggered international outrage.But no high-ranking government officials attended the funeral of the award-winning journalist, who made her name fearlessly exposing abductions and torture in the war in Chechnya."The authorities are cowards. Why didn't they come? Are they afraid even of a dead Politkovskaya?" asks Boris Nemtsov, a prominent 1990s reformer who served as deputy prime minister under former Russian President Boris Yeltsin.More than 1,000 mourners who had gathered under the drizzle filed past the open casket where Politkovskaya lay in a funeral hall on the outskirts of Moscow, her forehead covered with a white ribbon according to Russian Orthodox tradition.They placed flowers, mostly roses and carnations, around the coffin, while others held thin yellow prayer candles. Many wept. "Anya lived and died a hero," said veteran human rights campaigner Lyudmila Alexeyeva. "She couldn't bear seeing how people suffer, how they're in trouble, and that's why she rushed to their help as if she were the most powerful person in the world, not waiting for other help to arrive."
"I hope that this tragic death will lead to greater respect for freedom of speech, for the importance of speaking the truth and achieving fairness and truth," said U.S. Ambassador William Burns, who attended the ceremony. Putin issued a brief statement after a conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush promising an "objective investigation" into Politkovskaya's murder, three days after her death, but he has not spoken publicly on the crime. Amnesty International called on the Russian leader to condemn the killing, saying his statement should "make clear that attacks on independent journalists and human rights defenders are unacceptable."
Funeral for shot Russian reporter
By Niki Owen,WNS Moscow CorrespondentMOSCOW - The funeral of murdered Russian reporter Anna Politkovskaya is due to take place in Moscow. The 48-year-old - a critic of President Vladimir Putin and his policies in Chechnya - was found shot dead at her Moscow apartment building on Saturday. Mr Putin said the murder was "tragic" and promised "all the necessary efforts toward an objective investigation". Many prominent journalists and Moscow's leading liberal politicians are expected to attend the funeral. The service will begin with mourners walking past Ms Politkovskaya's coffin before she is buried at the Troyekurovskoye cemetery on the outskirts of Moscow.
On Monday, well-wishers laid flowers by photographs at a makeshift shrine in front of her apartment building and Russia's main newspapers ran pictures of her on their front pages. Colleagues at her newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, published a special issue promising that "her killers will not sleep soundly" and the paper has offered a $1m (£534,000) reward to solve the murder.
And Mr Putin, in his first response to the shooting, promised a thorough investigation during a telephone conversation with US President George W Bush. Russia's top prosecutor is personally leading the official investigation, focusing on her investigative reporting as a possible motive for the crime. Ms Politkovskaya's body was found in a lift at her block of flats. Grainy CCTV footage shows a man in a baseball cap following her inside just before the shooting.
France warned over 'genocide' law
By Henry Mark,WNS Paris CorrespondentPARIS - A top EU official has urged France not to push ahead with a bill which he says could sour relations between the EU and aspiring member Turkey. French MPs are due to discuss the bill - which would make it a crime to deny that Turkey perpetrated a genocide against Armenians - on Thursday.
Turkey's foreign minister threatened economic sanctions against France if the bill succeeds. EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn said the bill was "counterproductive". Mr Rehn warned that the adoption of the draft law would have very severe consequences for discussion of the Armenian question, saying "instead of opening, it will lock the debate in Turkey". He said nothing was achieved by an ultimatum, and called instead for an open dialogue in Turkey itself, and between Turkey and neighbouring Armenia. The two countries have a common border, but no diplomatic relations. Armenians say the Ottoman Turks killed as many as 1.5 million Armenians in a planned genocide in 1915, during World War I. The Turkish government strongly denies the allegations of genocide, saying many Armenians and Turks died in a conflict raging at that time.
Hunt for Russia reporter's killer
By Gary James,WNS Russia Bureau ChiefMOSCOW - A Russian journalist known for her critical coverage of the war in Chechnya was shot to death Saturday in the elevator of her apartment building in Moscow, in a killing prosecutors believe could be connected to her investigative work.Anna Politkovskaya was a tireless reporter who had written a critical book on Russian President Vladimir Putin and his campaign in Chechnya, documenting widespread abuse of civilians by government troops.
Prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into her death, said Svetlana Petrenko, spokeswoman for the Moscow prosecutor's Office. Investigators suspect the killing was connected to the work of the 48-year-old journalist, Vyacheslav Raskinsky, Moscow's first deputy prosecutor, said on state-run Rossiya television.Politkovskaya's body was found in an elevator in her Moscow apartment building, a duty officer at a police station in central Moscow told The Associated Press. Raskinsky said a pistol and bullets were found at the site of the crime. The RIA-Novosti news agency, citing police officials, reported that Politkovskaya was shot twice, the second time in the head. Oleg Panfilov, director of the Moscow-based Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations, said Politkovskaya had frequently received threats. A few months ago, unknown assailants had tried unsuccessfully to break into the car her daughter Vera was driving.
In 2001, Politkovskaya fled to Vienna for several months after receiving e-mail threats alleging that a Russian police officer she had accused of committing atrocities against civilians was intent on revenge. The officer, Sergei Lapin, was detained in 2002 based on her allegations but the case against him was closed the following year."Whenever the question arose whether there is honest journalism in Russia, almost every time the first name that came to mind was Politkovskaya," Panfilov said.
Politkovskaya's death is the highest-profile killing of a journalist in Russia since they July 2004 slaying of Paul Klebnikov, editor of the Russian edition of Forbes magazine.Russia has become one of the deadliest places for journalists. Twenty-three journalists were killed in the country between 1996 and 2005, many in Chechnya, according to CPJ. At least 12 have been murdered in contract-style killings since Putin came to power, Simon said.
German journalists die in Afghan attack
By Fiona Nate,WNS Afghanistan CorrespondentKABUL - Two German journalists who had pitched a tent on the side of a road outside a northern Afghan village were killed by gunmen on the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan.The two freelance journalists working for Germany's national broadcast outlet were the first foreign reporters killed in Afghanistan since late 2001, when eight journalists died.
The slain journalists -- identified as Karen Fischer, 30, and Christian Struwe, 38 - worked as freelancers for Deutsche Welle, Germany's state-owned broadcast outlet.
The two were traveling in a Toyota four-wheel drive vehicle in the northern province of Baghlan, about 150 kilometers (100 miles) northwest of Kabul, and had stopped outside a small village, where they set up a tent to spend the night, said Mohammad Azim Hashami, the provincial police chief.They were killed by AK-47 gunfire around 1:30 a.m., he said.Hashami said nothing was stolen from the journalists, including their vehicle. Police had no suspects. Deutsche Welle director Erik Bettermann said the two had spent a lot of time in Afghanistan and were familiar with the territory. He called the two "pioneers in re-establishing a functioning media system in Afghanistan" and said Struwe helped set up a state-run radio and television newsroom, a project supported by Deutsche Welle.
The broadcaster said Fischer and Struwe had been conducting private research for a documentary. They had been en route to the province of Bamiyan, the site of two large Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban in early 2001.The German government sharply condemned the "atrocious and senseless" murders.Some 2,700 German soldiers are serving in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in the north of the country.
Passenger data deal for US and EU
By Jerome Hart,WNS EU CorrespondentUNITED KINGDOM - The US and the European Union have struck a new deal for sharing airline passenger data. The new interim agreement will replace a deal struck down by the European Court of Justice in May, that allowed the US access to 34 pieces of data. The US has sought information about air travellers since the 9/11 attacks. EU officials described the deal, which came after nine hours of negotiations by video conference, as a "very important result" for the EU. The previous deal lapsed on 1 October when both sides failed to agree on terms for a renewal. The new accord will expire at the end of July 2007. Negotiations over a permanent deal will begin during an EU diplomatic visit to Washington in November.
Justice ministers from across the EU are scheduled to meet later on Friday to discuss the deal, which could be formally approved next week. EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said new mechanisms had been agreed to distribute data from airlines to the US. US officials will now only be able to access data by having information "pushed" from airline computer systems. Previously the US could "pull" data from the systems whenever it was needed. Information will be sent to the US Department of Homeland Security, which will "facilitate" any wider distribution among other US counter-terrorism agencies, Mr Frattini said.
Addressing concerns over wider distribution of EU data, Mr Frattini said the new deal allowed easier distribution of data, but would not allow "unconditional direct electronic access" by agencies such as the FBI. The new "push" system would be tested before the end of the year, Mr Frattini said.
Turkish writer tried for 'insult'
By Luke Cruise,WNS Turkey CorrespondentANKARA - A Turkish author has gone on trial on charges of insulting Turkey's founder, in the latest case seen as a test of freedom of speech in the country. Ipek Calislar faces up to four years in prison if convicted of insulting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. In her biography of his wife, she claimed that the founder of modern Turkey once fled disguised as a woman. The European Union has pressed Turkey to reform a law that allows prosecution of those seen to insult "Turkishness". The law has led to court cases against dozens of writers and journalists, including acclaimed novelists Orhan Pamuk and Elif Shafak. Both were acquitted.
The trial of Ipek Calislar, and Necdet Tatlican, an editor for Hurriyet newspaper, which serialised the book, was adjourned until December. Neither of the accused were present on Thursday, but the court ordered that they attend when the case resumes.
Meanwhile a separate Turkish court questioned the basis under which writers are tried. Referring to the prosecution of Elif Shafak, for "insulting Turkishness" through comments made by fictional characters in her novel, it said: "Efforts to limit freedom of thought and expression may have grave consequences... It is unthinkable to talk about crimes committed by fictional characters... It is necessary to define the boundaries of the Turkishness concept and place it on firm ground."
Air industry reels at A380 delay
By Andrew Champion,WNS France Business CorrespondentPARIS - Leading airlines are assessing their positions following confirmation of further delays to the Airbus A380. Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines and Qantas - all due to buy the super-jumbo - have expressed disappointment at the fresh setback. The first A380 delivery has been pushed back to October 2007 but Airbus boss Christian Streiff said all its customers were "still on board".
Shares of parent group EADS were down 7% in morning trading in Paris. Aviation experts said it was unlikely airlines would cancel any orders. However, they said the delays would mean Airbus having to pay out huge compensation and provide a further opening for rival Boeing. EADS, which owns 80% of Airbus, said the delay would wipe an extra 2.8bn euros ($3.6bn; £1.9bn) from its profits over the next four years, on top of the 2bn euros announced in June. It also announced a 2bn euros annual cost savings programme. Airbus will only deliver one A380 aircraft in 2007, having previously promised nine, resulting in mounting losses for parent firm EADS. Emirates, which has the biggest order of A380 airliners, will see its first delivery arrive 10 months late, and says it is now reviewing its options. Qantas, which will not take delivery of its first A380 until August 2008, said it was "disappointed" by the delay, the third to be announced in the last six months. Singapore Airlines, which is buying 19 A380 planes, said it was reviewing the situation while Virgin Atlantic, which said the delays had "serious implications" for its business, is doing the same. But Airbus insisted that no airlines had yet cancelled any orders.
EU urges Russia to end blockade
By Jerome Hart,WNS EU CorrespondentBELGIUM - The EU has urged Russia to lift economic sanctions it imposed on Georgia in a continuing spying row between the two former Soviet states. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said "sanctions... do not lead anywhere". Russia has cut off all transport and postal links with Georgia, despite the release of four Russian officers accused by Tbilisi of spying. Moscow denies the spying charge while Georgia accuses Russia of bullying. "We do hope that Russia very, very soon lifts these sanctions," Ms Ferrero-Waldner told Reuters news agency during a visit to Georgia. "There are so many irritants again on either side and therefore it is very important not to provoke and not to be provoked," she said. Her comments came a day after the US urged Moscow and Georgia to "lower the rhetoric" over the spy row. Russian sanctions include the suspension of bank transfers to Georgia. The impact of the new measures is likely to be severe. He says thousands of Georgian workers will be effectively stranded in Russia, unable to send home the earnings so many of their families depend on. Fears have also been expressed about Georgia's reliance on Russian energy supplies. Georgia remains totally dependent on supplies of Russian gas and there are already warnings that heat and light could disappear from parts of Georgia unless the crisis is resolved quickly, correspondents say. But Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili said his country would survive the Russian pressure as it always had.
Georgia to free Russian 'spies'
By Niki Owen,WNS Moscow CorrespondentMOSCOW - Georgia has said it will hand over to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe four Russian military officers charged with spying. A spokesman for Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said the transfer "ceremony" would take place on Monday. Last week's arrest of the four officers triggered a furious political row between Moscow and Tbilisi. Russia said the charges were absurd. It recalled its ambassador and evacuated some of its staff in Georgia. "Today, after the briefing of the OSCE chairman and the Georgian president... the four Russian military officers who were detained will be transferred to OSCE representatives," President Saakashvili's spokesman said. He was referring to talks scheduled for Monday between Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, who currently holds the OSCE chair, and Mr Saakashvili in Tbilisi. There has been no reaction to the latest development yet from Moscow.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Georgia of state terrorism over the arrests, and of trying to provoke Moscow. Mr Saakashvili has said Russia wants to destabilise his country because of its pro-western stance.
German minister bullish on growth
By Joyce Melvin,WNS Germany Business CorrespondentBERLIN - Germany's economy minister has given a bullish forecast for growth in Europe's biggest economy. Michael Glos said he expected to see economic growth of between 2.0% and 2.5% this year, according to Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper. The government's official forecast for 2006 is 1.6%, but many analysts now expect growth to top 2% this year. Germany is emerging from several years of sluggish growth, which had put a brake on other eurozone economies. The recovery is being partly driven by an increase in consumer spending - particularly on the back of the recent World Cup football tournament, which was staged in Germany - as well as strong exports of German goods abroad. However, experts have questioned whether the current economic upturn can be maintained. Mr Glos told Bild am Sonntag that he expected to see "the beginning of a turnaround" in Germany's labour market, suggesting that unemployment would eventually fall below four million. Germany's jobless count fell by 134,000 to 4.24 million - or 10.6% of the population - in September, according to official figures.
By Christine Shubert,
