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. . . Day by Day with VOA .. . 47 Killed in Venezuela Nightclub Fire . Phil Gunson Caracas 01 Dec 2002, 17:27 UTC   .  Listen
to Phil Gunson's Report from Caracas (RealAudio)
Gunson
Report - Download 173k (RealAudio) . In Venezuela, 47 people have died in a nightclub fire in downtown Caracas. Eight people were taken to hospitals with moderate-to-severe burns, while 20 others were treated at the scene. The fire broke out in the La Goajira bar and dance club, located not far from parliament and the presidential palace, in the rundown heart of old Caracas. Officials say there were 300-400 people in the basement club at the time. Caracas Fire Chief Rodolfo Briceno said firefighters were on the scene quickly, but the fire had already taken hold. He said 80 percent of those who died were overcome by the dense, toxic smoke. The smoke spread to two small hotels in the same building, causing considerable panic. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire. They are looking at the possibility of an electrical short-circuit or a carelessly tossed cigarette. Mr. Briceno said the blaze might also have originated in the kitchen. The number of people in the La Goajira at the time of the incident almost certainly exceeded the legal limit. Firefighters say owners of bars and clubs, not only in central Caracas, but also in the wealthier eastern districts, often ignore the regulations. This was the second major incident in central Caracas in just a few weeks. In mid-November, an explosion at an illegal fireworks stall just a few blocks from the Goajira club killed three people and injured many more. The political crisis currently afflicting Venezuela has led to tensions and acts of violence, but there is no suggestion of any political dimension to the La Goajira fire.
. UN Weapons Inspectors Check Crop-Spraying Aircraft in Iraq . . . United Nations weapons inspectors hunting for banned weapons of mass destruction in Iraq spent their fourth day investigating a base for crop-spraying planes.
The inspectors drove to an idle airstrip run by the Agriculture Ministry, where more than 12 helicopters, stripped of their engines, sat on the tarmac. Journalists viewed the inspection from a distance while the inspectors searched for evidence of chemical or biological agents. As usual, the inspectors made no statements following their visit to the facility, about 30 kilometers northeast of Baghdad. It was the fourth day of renewed inspections, following a four-year break, under a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding that Iraq give up any weapons of mass destruction and destroy any facility capable of making them. Iraq says it has no such weapons. So far the inspectors have visited sites in and around Baghdad, but soon they will be capable of unannounced inspections virtually anywhere in Iraq. The first of several U.N. helicopters scheduled to arrive in the Iraqi capital are to be used to transport the inspectors to any location they choose. The helicopters will also be used to provide surveillance to make sure there is no movement in or out of a facility, while it is being inspected. The helicopter shipment arriving Sunday is also expected to include electronic gear that will allow the inspectors to scan their headquarters in Baghdad for any surveillance equipment. On Sunday, an Iraqi government-run newspaper said the inspection process would prove Iraq is free of banned weapons. Mohammad Kamal, a political science professor at Cairo University, says that if no weapons of mass destruction are discovered, that would give President Saddam Hussein verbal ammunition. "He will have more ammunition to use against the U.S. to talk about double standards of the U.S. administration, that the U.S. administration just wanted to attack Iraq for no legitimate reason, and stuff like that," said Prof. Kamal. "So the level of anti-American sentiment in the region will probably rise because of that, and I am sure he will capitalize on that. I think it would put the U.S. administration in a very awkward position, because they said from the beginning that Iraq owns weapons of mass destruction." American officials say there will be no attack if Iraq cooperates completely with the inspectors. Iraq has until next Sunday to submit a declaration of any banned weapons in its possession. The U.N. inspectors must submit their first official report to the U.N. Security Council in late January.
. Foreigners Evacuated from Rebel-Held Area of Ivory Coast . . . In Ivory Coast, the French military said it has successfully evacuated foreigners from rebel-held western towns, and will now begin withdrawing troops from that part of the country as government forces advance to retake the area. A French military spokesman said the Foreign Legion had completed evacuation of about 160 foreigners from the towns of Man and Danane, in west Ivory Coast, at about 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning (local time). These included 40 French, 60 Lebanese, 20 Africans and another 30 from other countries, including Russia. It is not yet clear whether any Americans were among them. The foreign nationals were evacuated to Abidjan from Man airport, which the French seized from rebels after a long battle Saturday, during which one junior officer was wounded. The French military spokesman in Daloa, Major Frederic Thomazo, said soldiers were ambushed by rebels as they drove toward Man airport on Saturday. "We were attacked, and so we reposted and continued with our mission to take the airport," he said. The major said the army found 10 dead bodies around the airport, once the fighting had finished. "We presume they were rebels, but since they were not all in uniform, it is difficult to tell," he said. The fighting lasted several hours due to difficult vegetation, he said. The airport of Man, in the heart of Ivory Coast's coffee-growing region, is surrounded by tall grass and trees in a forested region, known as the Land of the 18 Mountains. The French, who say their first priority is to evacuate foreign citizens and then to oversee the cease-fire between government troops in the south and another group of rebels in the north of the country, say they will now withdraw from that part of the country altogether. Government forces are meanwhile advancing to retake the area, and to try to seize control of Man and Danane.
. Israel Fails to Get Top Islamic Jihad Leader in Gaza Attack . . . Palestinian officials say an Israeli helicopter gunship fired at a car in the Gaza Strip Sunday but failed to hit a top leader of the Islamic Jihad. Earlier, Israeli forces raided a town north of Gaza City. An Israeli military helicopter fired two missiles at a car traveling east of Gaza City, but witnesses said the vehicle's occupants escaped before the rockets hit. The driver and several bystanders were injured, but the apparent target of the operation reportedly managed to escape. The Islamic Jihad, a group dedicated to Israel's destruction, said the missiles were intended to kill one of its military commanders, but he was unhurt. The organization did not identify the alleged target. The incident followed an Israeli army raid into Beit Lahiya, about five kilometers north of Gaza City. Heavy clashes broke out after a force of some 30 tanks and armored vehicles entered the Palestinian self-rule area late Saturday. Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants engaged in nearly three hours of gunbattles before the soldiers withdrew on Sunday. During the raid, the troops also demolished three homes belonging to Islamic militants suspected of being involved in terror attacks against Israelis since 1996. One of the homes belonged to Hisham Dab, a member of the Islamic Jihad. He was accused of an attack that killed 20 Israelis and injured 70 in Tel Aviv six years ago. The body of Mr. Dab's father was found in the rubble of the collapsed building. Meanwhile, a large contingent of Israeli security forces have been deployed around Jerusalem following warnings of possible terror attacks. The Israeli police fear that militant Palestinian groups are planning to attack residents of the city taking part in week-long festivities to mark the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
. Israeli Defense Minister Names al-Qaida as Prime Suspect in Mombasa Attack . . Israel's Defense Minister has named Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network as a prime suspect in last week's suicide bombing at an Israeli-owned hotel in Kenya that killed 16 people. Shaul Mofaz said Sunday in Jerusalem that suspicions that al-Qaida was behind the blast are deepening, although there is no tangible evidence. Israel says it will also investigate why it was not aware of a possible attack in Kenya. Both the Australian and German governments each issued advisories against travel to Kenya in the days before the bombing. Three suicide bombers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the Paradise Hotel on Thursday in Mombasa, killing 16 people, including themselves and three Israelis. Kenyan investigators report they have found two fragments of the bomb - parts of a gas cylinder fastened to the underside of the vehicle to create a bigger explosion. Police have found the registration plate for the vehicle and are still searching for the owner. Kenyan authorities continue to hold for questioning six Pakistanis and four Somalis who they say arrived in Kenya by boat last week from Somalia. Three Kenyan dancers killed in the attack were buried Sunday in the village of Kikambala. They were all members of the same family and performed in the Giriama traditional dance troupe. Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
. Putin Begins 3-Day China Visit . . .
President Putin's trip to China comes in the middle of a change in leadership in Beijing. In addition to meeting with President Jiang Zemin, the Russian leader will hold talks with Mr. Jiang's newly appointed successor, Hu Jintao.
Kremlin officials say Mr. Putin wants to reassure both Chinese leaders that the two countries should build on a friendship treaty he signed with President Jiang last year. That document was aimed at overcoming often strained relations between the two giant neighbors dating back to the 1950s. Communist rivalry gave way to economic and trade issues after the collapse of the Soviet Union more than a decade ago, and officials say Mr. Putin wants to focus on that. The leaders will also discuss the ongoing war against terrorism, in which Mr. Putin is expected to seek to overcome Chinese uneasiness with Moscow's warmer relations with the United States. Officials say that in addition to cooperating with the United States on many issues, the Russian president sees China as another key player. Leaders in both countries have long talked about maintaining a multi-polar world as a way of lessening the paramount role America plays in world affairs. How to deal with North Korea is also expected to be part of the Beijing talks. Both Russia and China have leverage with Pyongyang, and both are concerned about North Korea's pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Following his China visit, Mr. Putin will make stops in India and Kyrgyzstan before returning to Moscow.
. Second Wave of Oil Spill to Hit Spanish Coast . . . Another wave of oil slicks from a sunken tanker is headed toward the northwest coast of Spain. Stormy weather is making clean-up operations extremely difficult.
The oil comes from the tanker Prestige, which split in two and sank on November 19, after being towed some 250 kilometers offshore. The week before, the vessel had let loose an estimated 6,000 tons of oil, when its hull cracked in a storm, blackening more than 400 kilometers of coastline, and bringing the fishing industry in the region to a standstill.
Pushed on by stormy weather, the first patches of oil washed ashore on Sunday. The Spanish deputy prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, who heads an emergency ministerial committee dealing with the crisis, said the biggest patch was still some distance from the coastline. A fleet of eight specialized, anti-pollution vessels from various European countries is standing by to continue their clean-up operation as weather permits. So far they have sucked up an estimated 5,000 tons of oil. Meanwhile, some 1,800 volunteers and military personnel have cleaned up some 2.5 tons from the first wave of oil pollution. More than 11 kilometers of oil slick barriers have been set in place to try to protect inlets and harbors. Another 28 kilometers of barriers are waiting to be put in place. Mr. Rajoy also confirmed that the Spanish navy on Saturday forced an oil tanker of construction similar to the Prestige out of Spanish territorial waters. Reacting to the disaster brought about by the oil spill, France and Spain last week banned all single-hulled tankers more than 15 years old from sailing within 200 kilometers of their coastlines.
. Sen. Graham Warns of 'Spike' in Terrorist Attacks against US . . A leading U.S. lawmaker says intelligence services believe a wave of terrorist attacks could hit the United States if war breaks out with Iraq. Senator Bob Graham says the United States faces an "extreme spike" in vulnerability to attack if Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein feels he is about to lose power. Mr. Graham is the outgoing Democratic chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He told Fox News Sunday that as a final desperate step, Saddam Hussein would probably unleash his agents inside the United States, boosting the likelihood of attack by 75 percent. Mr. Graham is urging renewed efforts to track suspected terrorists operating inside the country and to track assistance terrorists get from foreign governments. He also urged the Bush administration to take quick action to protect American jetliners from attacks like that carried out in Kenya by terrorists using shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.
. US Officials Call for Stronger Defense Against Future Terror Attacks . . U.S. officials say the terrorist attacks last week in Kenya underscore the need to defend against the danger of further attacks. The warning comes as a new commission prepares to investigate last year's terrorist attacks in the United States. Investigators are trying to determine who was behind the attacks in Kenya last week that targeted Israeli tourists. Sixteen people were killed when suicide bombers detonated a car full of explosives at an Israeli-owned resort hotel near Mombasa. Minutes earlier, two missiles narrowly missed an Israeli passenger plane as it was taking off from Mombasa airport. Israeli officials say suspicions are deepening that the al-Qaida network may have been behind the blast, although there is no tangible evidence. U.S. officials have said a Somali-based group thought to have links to al-Qaida may be connected to the attacks. In an interview on the television program Fox News Sunday, Richard Shelby of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee said there are increasing signs of affiliations among international terrorist organizations. "I think what you've got is a lot of terrorists dispersed all around the world, a lot of them were trained in Afghanistan, and now they're coming together, and acting where they can," Senator Shelby said.
Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who will head the panel, said the commission will look into a range of issues, from port security to police effectiveness, to draw lessons from those attacks and make recommendations for the future. "We want to make sure that when we're finished, the American public and the president know all the facts that are available," Mr. Kissinger said.
The 10-member panel will have eighteen months to complete its investigation.
. US Warplanes Strike Positions in Afghanistan . . U.S. warplanes have struck positions in western Afghanistan after American special forces came under fire close to the scene of a battle between rival factions. American B-52s dropped seven bombs Sunday near the Shindand air base in Herat province, the scene of deadly fighting earlier between two local militias. A spokesman for coalition forces in Afghanistan says U.S. troops were on routine patrol south of the city of Herat when they came under fire. It is unclear if the U.S. forces were fired on by one or both factions, or if they were attacked by other forces. No American casualties were reported. The incident follows fierce fighting between troops loyal to Pashtun commander Ammanullah Khan and ethnic Tajik forces loyal to Ismail Khan, governor of Herat province. At least 11 soldiers were killed and seven injured in the fighting. Each side accused the other of provoking the fighting. Ismail Khan and Ammanullah Khan have been bitter rivals for years, and their forces have clashed repeatedly. Fighting between the two sides was last reported about one month ago. Some information for this report provided by AFP.
. World Aids Day Marked with Marches, Prayers . . Millions of people around the world are marking World Aids Day with marches and prayers, amid grim statistics that show the epidemic is outpacing all efforts to control it. Estimates released by the United Nations show 42 million people worldwide now have either AIDS or HIV, the virus that causes the disease. Nearly half the cases are women, and 30 million of them are in sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa, a Johannesburg-based orphanage commemorated the day by burying the ashes of babies who died of AIDS-related illnesses. South Africa has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, with five million of its 46 million citizens carrying the virus. Meanwhile, U.N. AIDS Executive Director Peter Piot said Saturday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that the social prejudice against people with AIDS could be as destructive as the disease itself. He says the stigma associated with the disease is an obstacle to effective prevention and treatment programs. The virus appears to be spreading. Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with 1.2 million cases, now show the fastest-growing epidemics, while officials fear China and India are also seeing a rise in AIDS cases. Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AFP.
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. . . Day by Day with VOA .. . BBC -- Tuesday, 3 December, 2002, 12:23 GMT . Contraception
'key to poverty trap'
. Smaller families are the
key to wealth, the UN Says Government spending on birth control and women's health makes
developing countries richer, the United Nations says.
Such spending has been responsible for up to one-third of the annual economic growth of East Asian "tigers", as well as Brazil and Mexico, according to a report by the UN Population Fund.
The report says that since 1970, developing countries that have cut birth rates and slowed population growth have registered faster growth. Allocating funds to health, education and the advancement of women and girls was a crucial part of achieving that fall. Parts of South Asia could benefit in the same way from about the year 2015 if investment in women's health is made now, the study's authors say. But, the report contends, the world's poorest 50 states - mainly in Africa - will need outside help over the next few years if they are to benefit from falling birth rates. Examples The study says that if more children survive infancy, women will choose to have fewer of them.
The UN said Brazil, where fertility has declined over the last 50 years, was an example of such a success, and that Mexico and other Latin American states had followed its example. By contrast, in developing countries where poverty, poor health and fertility remain high, the population has tripled since 1955 and is expected to nearly triple again over the next 50 years. In 1980, just under 19% of the word's population lived in absolute poverty. The UN says if net fertility worldwide in the 1980s had been cut to the same extent it was in many Asian countries, global poverty would have fallen to 12.6% by 1990. 'Vicious circle' Rich countries contributed less than a quarter of the total spent on basic reproductive health programmes in the developing world, and only paid half the sums of money they had pledged. Total spending on such programmes in 2000 was $10.9 billion - $6.1 billion less than had been promised. Thoraya Obaid, executive director of the UN FPA, told the Associated Press news agency: "There is a vicious circle that links fertility with poverty. "To fight poverty, you can't just talk about economic growth by itself. "You need to have investment in the social sector in the area of health and education so that that it can contribute to economic growth." She added: "Due attention has to be given to health and education as real engines that can change the situation." . 2 Palestinians Killed by Israeli Troops in Separate Incidents . . . A 16-year-old Palestinian was killed and at least 16 others were wounded by Israeli troops Monday in the West Bank City of Jenin. In another incident just south of Gaza City, a Palestinian gunman was killed trying to infiltrate the Jewish settlement of Netzarim. Palestinian witnesses say Israeli troops fired on a group of teenage boys who were on their way to school Monday morning. Reports say the teenagers started throwing stones at the Israeli troops and that the accompanying Israeli tanks retaliated with machine-gun fire. Two of the injured were said to have suffered serious wounds. In a separate incident in Jenin's Old City, the army arrested two suspected members of the militant group Islamic Jihad. Reports from the city said a fierce gun battle erupted as Israeli troops approached the house where Murad Hassanein and Mohammed Abu Aqel were apprehended. About a dozen Palestinians were reported wounded in the shooting. The troops then withdrew from the town. Earlier Monday, an armed Palestinian was killed after he tried to infiltrate the Gaza Strip settlement of Netzarim. Israeli media said the gunman was wearing an Israeli army uniform and was armed with an automatic rifle and three hand grenades. One Israeli soldier was lightly wounded in the incident. On Sunday, two Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces raided the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza strip, destroying the homes of suspected members of Islamic Jihad and Hamas. One of the dead Palestinians was the father of an Islamic Jihad activist. His body was found in the rubble of one of the houses. Two Israeli helicopters fired three missiles at a car east of Gaza City late Sunday afternoon. Islamic Jihad said it was an attempt to kill one of its commanders. The man, who was not identified, escaped unharmed. Reports said he and the other men with him, jumped out of the car just as the Apache helicopters fired on it.
. BBC -- Monday, 2 December, 2002, 07:59 GMT . European press
review-02Dec2002
. The European press review looks north to examine the major issues in
Scandinavia. Elsewhere, German papers bemoan the country's economic situation
and note tensions in the governing coalition, and France examines its military
commitments in the face of a possible war on Iraq.
Air inquiry welcomed Norway's
Aftenposten welcomes the appointment of a new commission to investigate
an air disaster in northern Norway in 1982 which claimed 15 lives and in which
a British RAF jet is alleged to have been involved.
"The government is right to leave it to Stortinget [the Norwegian parliament] to appoint the commission which will investigate the Mehamn accident... "Enduring allegations that a British fighter plane caused the accident make it clear that a new inquiry is needed. So do the claims that parts of the military covered it up. A commission whose aim is to find the truth behind this very controversial air tragedy depends on trust." The paper says allowing representatives of those who died to sit on the commission while not allowing the military to participate is "the right decision". Unlike a parliamentary commission, a government commission would have "caused doubt about the will to dig sufficiently deep into an unpleasant reality." Euro decision for Sweden Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter feels Sweden will face its "hardest decision" in next September's referendum on whether to adopt the euro. The paper says
there has not been a lively debate about Europe in Sweden and that this year's
election campaign barely touched on European issues.
"But now we have to deal with the problem which the citizens of 12 of the EU countries have already solved - a common currency." The paper says the first question in the EMU debate will be "who has managed best"? "In truth, the EMU countries will not be an encouraging example of economic development next year. "Instead, Germany especially is becoming the sick man of Europe. And for several of them the stability pact is a tight straitjacket in a pressurised economic situation." However, the paper says that "in all probability EMU membership will be more growth-friendly than staying outside." Greenland independence? Denmark's Berlingske Tidende notes greater interest than usual in the election which takes place in Greenland on Tuesday. "It is not just about the political course which the Greenlanders desire for their own affairs over the next few years. It is also about something which affects the southern part of the Union [Denmark and the Faroe Islands], namely Greenland's future within the Union."
The paper says opinion polls and statements by leading candidates show independence topping the political agenda. It appears the two left-wing parties, which favour independence, will gain increased influence. "Unfortunately, it seems the voters' notions are based on certain delusions about the economic foundation which an independent Greenland would be built on," the paper warns. "We are talking about a country which already has huge social problems and major unsolved difficulties". The paper describes the pro-independence parties' promises as "voter deception suitable for reporting to the consumer ombudsman". 'German disease' In Germany, the heated political debate about the state of the economy is leading to tensions in the ruling coalition of Social Democrats and Greens, as well as soul searching by the press. "What is the matter with the Germans?" asks Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel, in the face of the seemingly endless political row over the economy and who is to blame for it. "The Germans have delayed for too long the necessary reforms of their economy, their social security system and the state of their finances," the paper explains. Even worse, the paper says, is that what it calls the "German disease" of "self-torment and self-pity" is preventing the country from identifying what needs to be done and harnessing the power of society to get it done. Another German daily, Frankfurter Rundschau, points out that the Social Democrats of Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and their coalition partner, the Greens, are rapidly drifting apart.
"The two coalition partners are disassociating themselves from each other faster and harsher than expected," it says. Part of the reason, the paper says, is that the Social Democrats are positioning themselves ahead of the spring local elections, while the Greens are getting ready for their party congress. "Because of this there will probably be no straight talking within the coalition until after the state elections in the spring," the paper says regretfully: "Until then much time will be squandered - time that the country does not have." French defence French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie keeps France's cards close to her chest in an interview with the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel. Reminded that America has asked its allies "how they could contribute militarily" to an action against Iraq, the minister's response, as quoted by the magazine, is that "the question does not arise at the present moment". "The essential thing," she points out, "is that the UN inspectors are allowed to carry out correctly the mission for which the Security Council has given them a mandate with what I would remind you was a unanimous vote." In slightly more forthcoming statements to her compatriots in Journal Du Dimanche, Mrs Alliot-Marie says that France "has all the means to cope with any land, sea or air deployments", and "as a member of the UN Security Council it will fulfil its responsibilities". However, she warns, a war against Iraq, "if seen as the result of a unilateral American decision" would be "perceived by the Arab world as an act of western aggression and would propagate a new outbreak of terrorism". "That is a risk," the minister concludes, "that we do not want to take in any circumstances." The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions. . BBC -- Tuesday, 3 December, 2002, 05:29 GMT . European
press review-03Dec2002
. The oil washing ashore on Spain's north-west
coast dominates the news in that country, while French dailies focus on the
announced closure of the Sangatte refugee camp.
Elsewhere, the continent again turns its thoughts to the enlargement of the European Union and Russia celebrates a famous victory. Slick response? Spanish newspapers welcome King Juan Carlos's visit to Galicia as a second oil slick from the sunken tanker Prestige threatens fishing grounds and compounds problems along the stricken coastline. Madrid's El Mundo sees the monarch's visit to the northern autonomous region as "a sharp rebuke" to the politicians.
La Razon says the king was not looking for a photo opportunity "is naturally sensitive to the problem affecting... thousands of Spaniards". "In calling for unity," the paper adds, the monarch "has once again been true to his role as king of all the Spaniards". ABC says that "Don Juan Carlos's closeness to the people's anguish" shows that the people want "unity and efficacy" from their representatives, not "party political playing for the gallery". Its front page is filled with a photo of one of a "human sea" protesting against the oil spill. In Barcelona, El Periodico reflects the public anger. It accuses both the regional and central governments of "a succession of doubts, errors of judgment, shows of indifference and attempts to conceal both the extent of the disaster and the lack of means to deal with it". In the 20 days since the Prestige sent out its Mayday, the paper says that no official "has had the courage to own up to any shortcomings". Sangatte relief France's Liberation welcomes the agreement struck on Monday between France and Britain to close the controversial Sangatte camp refugee centre by year-end. Le Monde explains that the centre, which had become a magnet for illegal immigrants trying to reach Britain, will be closed three months earlier than expected.
Le Figaro describes the negotiations as "rough" and calls London's decision to grant the work permits to the migrants "an exceptional gesture" given public hostility to refugees. Liberation's front page is dominated by a picture of some of the refugees to benefit from the deal waving goodbye to France from a ferry. It says that in pledging to "settle the situations of all" the centre's inmates, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy "has agreed in this case to what it rules out in all others". "Admittedly, it will be our neighbours across the Channel who will be doing most of the settling", the paper notes. "Nicolas owes them a big thank you." Battle for Europe The development of the European Union - by expanding or reforming - occupies the attention of many newspapers. The French daily Le Monde says "the battle for power in Europe will be joined this week" when the European Commission on Thursday approves a plan to reform the EU's institutions.
Denmark's papers note, however, that Paris and London are mostly at loggerheads with the EU these days. Copenhagen's Information says that "French-British relations are very cold at the moment", especially over proposals to harmonize EU tax policy. The paper says that after a three-year crisis for the German-French axis, during which time "peripheral" powers such as the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy entered the arena, "the cold air between the two has been blown away". Another Copenhagen daily, Berlingske Tidende, also notes that the Union's former French-German driving force "has suddenly become functional again after languishing increasingly for several years." "This development is good for Europe," it declares. Victory Day France isn't having everything its way, however, and Russian papers are rejoicing over Russia's dramatic win in the Davis Cup tennis final in Paris on Sunday. "Boris Yeltsin's dream has come true," proclaims Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
No wonder, then, that Mr Yeltsin confesses to the Internet newspaper Gazeta that he is "very tired - even as tired as the players themselves". Komsomolskaya Pravda complains that Russian TV viewers were, for the most part, unable to watch the drama, which was only shown on satellite TV. "Why didn't terrestrial channels show the Davis Cup?" it asks, answering: "It is not profitable." Nezavisimaya Gazeta, meanwhile, recalls that all the top officials played Mr Yeltsin's favourite sport when he was president - and that matters of state were discussed on and of court at elite Moscow sports clubs. Noting that Vladimir Putin's favourite sports are skiing and judo, the paper laments that the current president is never seen "throwing Prime Minister Kasyanov or Minister Gref over his hip". The European press review is compiled by BBC Monitoring from internet editions of the main European newspapers and some early printed editions. . BBC -- Tuesday, 3 December, 2002, 14:03 GMT . Israel
'knew Kenya was target'
. The hunt for
forensic evidence continues Military intelligence officials in Israel say they were aware of an
al-Qaeda threat in Kenya long before last Thursday's attacks which killed 13
people, but had no specific warning that Mombasa or Israeli tourists were being
targeted.
The Islamic militant network is increasingly being suspected of responsibility for the attacks - a statement purportedly from al-Qaeda claimed responsibility on Monday.
The row came as police revealed that questioning of 10 foreign suspects detained in the aftermath of the Mombasa attacks had produced no "useful leads". Reconnaissance work In Israel, a military intelligence officer, Brigadier-General Yossi Kuperwasser, told a parliamentary committee that Israel had had advance warning that al-Qaeda was doing reconnaissance work in Kenya. It had "information that various people were collecting information in order to carry out terrorist attacks but not against what or whom," he was quoted as saying by parliamentary spokesman Giora Pordes. "There was general information, but not regarding Israeli targets, rather on the attempt to carry out an attack in Kenya. Israel was never mentioned." Warning fatigue Germany and Australia, by contrast, issued public warnings in mid-November that militants were planning to attack Western targets specifically in Mombasa. A former head of the Israeli secret service Mossad, Danny Yatom, told Israeli radio on Tuesday that Israel received so many terror warnings that most were not taken seriously.
In Washington, US officials have said they consider an al-Qaeda claim of responsibility for the Mombasa attacks posted on a website credible. The BBC's security correspondent, Frank Gardner, says there are growing suspicions that even if the website report proves to be spurious, al-Qaeda was connected in some way to the attacks in Kenya. Kenyan recriminations A Nairobi newspaper, the Daily Nation, has accused the Kenyan Government of ignoring four bomb warnings dating back to March. According to the paper, Police Commissioner Philemon Abongo received four warnings:
He also added that police had "not extracted any useful leads" from the 10 suspects detained after Thursday's attacks. The authorities had picked up six Pakistanis and four Somalis, all apparently shark fishermen forced to put into port in Mombasa. . BBC -- Tuesday, 3 December, 2002, 15:07 GMT . Ivory
Coast rebels seek merger
. Ivory Coast
blames Burkina Faso for backing rebels Two recently emerged rebel groups in Ivory Coast say they want to
join forces with the main rebellion, which wants President Laurent Gbagbo to
step down.
The two groups last week seized several towns in the west but the government says it has now retaken the largest one - Man.
Meanwhile, Liberia has denied claims that it is backing the new rebel groups, which are fighting near its border with Ivory Coast. French forces, who are monitoring a ceasefire in parts of Ivory Coast, say they have evacuated some 80 foreigners from the town of Touba, 50km north of Man. Touba was also seized by the new rebel groups last week. About 120 foreigners were evacuated by the French from Man on Sunday. The new rebel groups, the Movement for Justice and Peace and the Ivorian Popular Movement for the Great West say they are fighting to avenge the death of former military ruler, Robert Guei, who was killed in the first days of the rebellion in late September. Xenophobic attacks A spokesman for the main rebel group, the Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast (MPCI) has said they had not been contacted directly. Sherif Usman said that if they did merge, it might strengthen the MPCI's negotiating hand in peace talks in the Togolese capital, Lome. |
