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Last Updated:Friday, 30 May, 2003, 15:37 GMT 16:37 UK  Bush starts diplomatic mission  The US president will seek to mend fences in Europe and push for Middle East peace during a week-long tour.  Analysis: Bush's grand tour  Why Poland loves America  Deflation and dollar fears for G8  FEATURES Analysis: US talks tough to Iran  Canada business counts Sars cost  Murder case sparks abortion row  COUNTRY PROFILES New jail term for Montesinos  Bush 'buried budget report'  Colombia moots rebel exile  Two more Sars deaths in Toronto  Argentine military reshaped  Colombian drug lord faces US jail  Serial killer suspect held in US  Colombian rebel extradited to US  BUSINESS Halliburton Iraq contract queried  Strong spending lifts US OTHER TOP STORIES Microsoft settles $750m lawsuit  Death in Peru violence  Rumsfeld rejects WMD doubts  US celebrates Hope birthday  US 'still fighting Saddam forces'  Pact to end Venezuela violence  Lynch family silent over rescue  ALSO IN THE NEWS Calls to 'God' sparked by blockbuster Bruce Almighty Spurs reach NBA finals  Devils too hot for Ducks  Loaiza shuts out Blue Jays  . Ring of fire Skywatchers wait for the Moon to eclipse the Sun on Saturday

. Cloning first for horse family .

. Americas - USA - Idaho - @University of Idaho - Idaho Gem cloned BBC -- Thursday, 29 May, 2003, 18:18 GMT 19:18 UK x x

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Scientists in the United States have announced the birth of the world's first cloned mule. 

The foal, called Idaho Gem, is nearly a month old and appears to be perfectly healthy, the researchers say. 

The first clone of any animal in the horse family

They suggest their work could lead to champion racehorses being routinely cloned in the future. 

The research is published in the journal Science.

Idaho Gem looks the perfect foal from his pointy ears to his still slightly unsteady legs. His birth sets a number of milestones. 

Gem is not only the first cloned mule, he is the first clone of any animal in the horse family; and he is the first clone of an animal which cannot normally reproduce. 

Mules are almost always sterile. They are formed when a male donkey breeds with a female horse; horses have 64 chromosomes, donkeys 62 - mules end up with 63. 

The success rate from cloning was typically low - from over three hundred embryos, only three viable foals developed; Gem himself plus two brothers which are yet to be born. 

New race

The research was sponsored by an American mule-racing enthusiast; but the real implications could lie in horse-breeding. 

The scientist in charge of Gem's creation, Professor Gordon Woods of the University of Idaho, says the team has solved a technical hurdle which has until now prevented cloning in any member of the horse family.

The cloning success rate was 1 in 100

"We found calcium seems to be critically important for equine reproduction," he told BBC News Online. "Once we boosted the level of calcium in our culture medium we started seeing results."

So cloning champion racehorses or show-jumpers should now be possible. "It could also help with endangered species," said Professor Woods, "species like the Przewalski horse."

International horse-racing rules currently outlaw any form of assisted reproduction, including cloning; but show-jumping has no such rules. 

Male show-jumping horses are routinely castrated, so cannot breed - making cloning, perhaps, an attractive option for their owners. 

Jacky Knightley, a spokeswoman for the British Show-Jumping Association, commented that cloning would take all the fun out of breeding, and could make the sport as boring as Formula One motor racing.

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CAREFUL WATCH Army Spc. Steve Hervstreith, 30, of Sebring, Fla., a member of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, deployed from Fort Stewart, Ga., keeps a close eye on rush-hour traffic in front of a Baghdad medical clinic. Coalition forces are guarding sensitive areas such as hospitals, museums and government buildings from looters and vandals. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Mark BellMore News Photos (5) President Bush Set to Depart On Five-Day Overseas Trip  By Kathleen T. Rhem / American Forces Press Service       WASHINGTON, May 29, 2003 President Bush will discuss the Middle East peace process and rebuilding Iraq, among other issues, during a five-day overseas trip set to begin May 30, a top adviser said May 28.       The president will visit Poland, Russia, France, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar before returning to Washington June 5, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said in an afternoon press conference at the White House.       Highlights of the trip include a summit with the leaders of the Palestinian authority, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain June 3 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and a meeting the following day with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in Aqaba, Jordan.       "The president believes that this is a new opportunity for peace (in the Middle East) at the end of the war in Iraq, and particularly with changes in the Palestinian leadership," Rice said. She added that the Israeli government's acceptance of the administration's "road map" plan and recent comments Sharon has made are also promising steps. More U.S. Soldier Dies in Attack; Two Iraqis Die in Separate Incident  By Kathleen T. Rhem / American Forces Press Service      WASHINGTON, May 29, 2003 Two incidents in the past day have led to the deaths of one American soldier and two Iraqi civilians who died in an apparent attack on a U.S. checkpoint.       A U.S. soldier, who has not been identified, "was killed by hostile gunfire while traveling on a main supply route" today near Logistics Support Area Anaconda, a U.S. Central Command news release said. The soldier was evacuated to a military hospital, where he was pronounced dead.       In a separate incident late May 28, two Iraqi civilians died "when they attempted to drive their vehicle through a coalition checkpoint" in Samarra, according to another CENTCOM release.      Command officials reported the checkpoint was "well- established and well-lit" and that soldiers fired "numerous warning shots" as the vehicle approached at about 40 mph. More

Memorial Day marked the start of Operation Tribute to Freedom, a program of activities slated for the days, weeks and months ahead that demonstrate public appreciation for service members' accomplishments and sacrifices in the global war against terrorism. DefendAmerica will routinely provide information on upcoming Tribute to Freedom events.  For more information on Operation Tribute to Freedom click here.  SEND A MESSAGE Send a Welcome Home" message to U.S. troops returning from the war in Iraq and a "Thank You" to all who support the global war on terrorism. To send your message click here. AMERICA'S BEST WISHES "Welcome home everybody! I've heard that sometimes there aren't large crowds to greet everyone as they come home. But, we are there in heart and spirit and so happy that you are back! " To read more Welcome Home messages click here. SEARCH THE THANK YOU NOTE Nearly 11 million people have signed the on-line Thank You Note DefendAmerica.mil launched last May. To see the names click here.  U.S. Views Quotes by President Bush & other U.S. leaders Defense Views Quotes by U.S. defense leaders Maps of Iraq Maps of the nation of Iraq and the region National Security Advisor  Dr. Condoleezza Rice  “… I just want to remind everybody when we come to the Iraq war that what happened in Iraq is that Saddam Hussein, one of the worst dictators of modern times, was finally deposed and overthrown. Yes, it is going to be difficult and a long haul to return the Iraqi people, ... to prosperity and to a life that they deserve. ... But let's not lose sight of the mass graves that are being found there, that are testament to what this regime was like. And let's not lose sight of the fact that the Iraqi people are far better off with that brutal dictator gone.” Remarks during a press briefing on the President's Trip to Europe and the Middle East, May 28, 2003

Navy Demobilizing 9,000 Reservists By U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Ken Shade / Naval Reserve Force Public Affairs       NEW ORLEANS (NNS) The Navy is demobilizing 3,000 Reservists in May; 1,900 in June; 1,716 in July; 877 in August; and 1,720 in September, said Lt. Cmdr. Tom Lattomus, perspective director of Commander, Naval Reserve Forces Mobilization Center.     The draw-down will not only focus on retuning the reservists to civilian life, but also caring for their needs, according to Cmdr. Mark Englebert, director of the Mobilization Center. More Spreading Goodwill in Djibouti  More Photo Essays Workers at the Muslim non-government organization Bender Djedid unload a box of medical supplies donated by the U.S. Navy's Project Handclasp. Books, clothes and medical supplies were given to Bender Djedid, which is an NGO helping local citizens. Photo by: Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald   5 More Images 'Be Strong and of Good Courage': Words of Comfort to Grieving Father  By Dennis Ryan / Fort Myer, Va. WASHINGTON, May 29, 2003 Retired Army Lt. Col. Joe Rippetoe breakfasted at the White House on Memorial Day morning and afterwards was ushered in to meet President Bush.     Joe's son, Russell, was the first casualty of the Iraq War to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on April 10. The captain, assigned to Company A, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga., died from injuries on April 3.     Bush remembered the fallen soldier during his May 26 Memorial Day address in the amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery.      "Russell Rippetoe served with distinction in Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning both the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart," the president said. More Chief Petty Officer William Bridgeforth, a damage controlman assigned to USS San Jacinto, holds his four-month-old daughter for the first time May 23. San Jacinto returned to Norfolk after a six-month deployment with USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Force in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Marlowe P. Dix   7 More Photos Staff Sgt. Wayne M. Storz, Command Element, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) greets his family after returning from a nine month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Jeff Sisto 24th MEU Returns Home After Deployment       CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C., May 28, 2003 -- After being extended twice and participating in exercises and operations in places ranging from the snow-capped mountains of Kosovo, the jungles of Kenya and the deserts of East Africa and Iraq, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) finally returned home to North Carolina Memorial Day May 26, wrapping up a nine-month deployment that will surely be talked about for years to come.      After activating on Jan. 27, 2002, and completing a rigorous predeployment training program, the 24th MEU set sail from Camp Lejeune on a routine six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea as the landing force for U.S. 6th Fleet. More Seabees, Marines Send Iraqi Kids Back to School  AL HILLAH, Iraq -- The legacy that some Marines hope to leave the Iraqi people is not tales of heroism, but one of education, as they team with Navy builders to rehabilitate a primary school that suffered from years of neglect under Saddam Hussein's regime.      Working hand in hand with the Seabees of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 15, Air Detachment, a reserve unit based in Kansas City, Mo., the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines picked this school to receive extra attention.      "This is our legacy school," said Lt. Col. John L. Mayer, the commander of the 1st Bn., 4th Mar. "This school is special because when we came here to assess the building, we were impressed by the dedication of its faculty." More Military, Iraqi Agricultural Experts Work Together        AL HILLAH, Iraq -- Iraqi, military and agricultural advisors are collaborating to determine if one of Iraq's leading cash crops will be spared from a plague of insects with modern chemicals or ancient predators.       Because the eggs of the indigenous Dubas bug, which feasts on dates, are hatching now, local growers are worried that without chemical control, this year's date harvest will take a direct hit. Dates are Iraq's second leading agricultural export behind wool. More More Operation Iraqi Freedom Stories Army   Navy   Air Force   Marines   Coast Guard On Afghanistan • Vines Takes Afghanistan Combat Lead  On Iraq • Iraq Model for Other Nations in Region with 'Freedom Deficit' • Rumsfeld Says Iraq's Problems Real But Expected, Workable  • Seven Soldiers Die, 16 Hurt in Iraq Incidents in Recent Days  Military News • Free Reunion Web Service Takes Off • Native American Women's Exhibit Opens at Arlington • Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Departs on Asia Trip • Admiral Giambastiani Named SAC Transformation • National Guard, Reserve Update

New Scholarship Fund Honors Fallen Sailor        PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- The First Class Petty Officer Association from Navy Pacific Meteorology Oceanography Center/Joint Typhoon Warning Center Pearl Harbor awarded the first Edward T. Earheart Memorial Scholarship Fund scholarship to Radford High School senior Seth Osenkarski, in a ceremony at the school on May 21. The presentation was held one week after what would have been Earharts 28th birthday. More Pentagon Identifies Soldier Killed in Iraq     WASHINGTON, May 29, 2003 -- The Department of Defense announced today that Staff Sgt. Michael B. Quinn, 37, of Tampa, Fla., was killed May 27, in Al-Fallujah, Iraq. Quinn was on guard duty at a checkpoint when a vehicle pulled up and assailants fired on him. Quinn was assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armor Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, Colo. The incident is under investigation. Profile Tim Hoffmann  Navy Aerospace Engineer       PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- Tim Hoffmann just returned from an opportunity of a lifetime - actually, as Hoffmann calls it - his second opportunity of a lifetime.       Working in-theater in a civilian capacity with the military during a war is an incredible experience, said Hoffmann, an aerospace engineer with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Depot in North Island, Calif. Hoffmann spent three months with the fleet during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), designing depot level repairs for forward-deployed Navy and Marine aircraft. He performed the same duties during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield.      Most people dont ever get the experiences Ive had - not once, but twice, he said. More Transformation New Installation Titles  Reflect Joint Use      ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga., May 28, 2003 (AFPN) -- This summer, nine Air Force Reserve Command installations will be re-designated joint bases or stations to reflect the multiservice use of the facilities.      Lt. Gen. James E. Sherrard III, AFRC commander, initiated the change. At his suggestion, the civil engineer at AFRC headquarters here completed a survey of the installations where the command is the host and determined nine locations qualify for joint status. More Iraq's 55 Most Wanted In Custody - May 24 Three of Spades -  Sad abd al-Majid al-Faysal Three of Clubs -  Sayf al-Din al-Mashhadani Status of Iraq's 55 Most Wanted In Kuwait Big Screen Gunny Visits  Marines in Kuwaiti Desert        CAMP COYOTE, Kuwait The Marine Corps' Hollywood gunnery sergeant, R. Lee Ermey, the notorious face every recruit pictures from his unforgettable senior drill instructor role in the Stanley Kubrick film "Full Metal Jacket," took a special trip to northern Kuwait May 25. He met with the Marines of the 1st Force Service Support Group and tape segments of the History Channel show "Mail Call" which he hosts.        His plans were set to talk and motivate the troops that, as he says, "have been forgotten since the war was won."        "Nobody else seems to be bothering. These kids are out here in the middle of nowhere in this big windy sand box, they've got no entertainment," Ermey said. "It's a tough war."      His first stop while aboard the camp was at the 1st FSSG's postal center where countless amounts of mail are processed and distributed to the Marines each day. Before and after each taping Ermey made sure to talk with the Marines, take pictures and sign autographs for the troops. More • Postal Troops Move Mountains of Mail • TCNs Transport Gear for Home-Bound Marines In Djibouti Combined Joint Task Force Adds System to Fight Terrorism      CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti -- Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa recently added an Air Defense Integrated System (ADSI) to its arsenal, enhancing their ability to fight terrorism in the east African region.        The ADSI tracks airplanes and ships occupying the Horn of Africa region, which is defined as Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and coastal waters of the Indian Ocean.       Air Force Master Sgt. Paul Shelton, joint integrated control officer, explains the ADSI depicts civilian/military planes and ships in near-real-time feeds to a computer screen 24 hours, seven days a week as they move through CJTF-HOA's area of responsibility.        The system uses coalition ships, planes and land-based radar throughout the region. The ADSI inputs these images combines them into a central image showing all traffic in the region. More 'On The Ground' Archive

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. Corruption 'costs Kenya $1bn a year' .

. Africa - Kenya - @Kenya Government Ranks 96th of 102 in 2002 Corruption Perceptions Index ofTransparency International BBC -- Friday, 30 May, 2003, 10:15 GMT 11:15 UK x x

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The police force is said to be one of Kenya's most corrupt institutions

Corruption is costing Kenya as much as $1bn a year, which new anti-corruption measures will hopefully recoup to help provide better public services to Kenyans, the government believes.

Despite rich natural resources, Kenya's growth has stagnated for years, with the economy expanding by just 1.1% in 2002, said Planning Minister Peter Anyang' Nyong'o.

Part of the reason was rampant corruption costing as much as 68bn shillings ($932m; £565m) a year - nearly a quarter of annual government spending, he said.

The reluctance of previous administrations to tackle corruption led to the suspension of international loans to Kenya, an obstacle which the new government of President Mwai Kibaki hopes to overcome.

In the meantime, government spending is set to increase in an effort to reduce poverty.

During former President Daniel arap Moi's 25-year rule, inflation stayed relatively low.

"That's the macroeconomic environment," said Mr Nyong'o, "but people can't eat the macro-economic environment."

16 times a month

Mr Kibaki, who succeeded Mr Moi in December, has introduced new anti-corruption measures, including the unceremonious sacking of every single government procurement chief earlier this week.

A survey carried out by the finance ministry "established that there is a serious and widespread abuse of office by officers charged with this responsibility", Finance Minister David Mwiraria said in a statement.

Most procurement officers, he said, owned companies which won government contracts but never - or only partially - produced the goods and services for which they had already been paid.

Kenya is generally seen as one of the most corrupt countries on the planet, ranking 96th of 102 in the 2002 Corruption Perceptions Index developed by pressure group Transparency International.

Its "Daily Bribery Survey" suggested that Kenyans pay on average 16 bribes a month, simply to get on with their ordinary lives.

Transparency's Kenya chapter head, John Githongo, has been placed in charge of anti-corruption efforts. 
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. Iraq killings suspect freed 'in error' .

. Middle East - Iraq - Al-Mahawil - Mass Murder BBC -- Friday, 30 May, 2003, 15:00 GMT 16:00 UK x x

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The mass grave at al-Mahawil contained bodies of missing Shiites

A former Iraqi official suspected of killing thousands of Shia Muslims after the 1991 Gulf War has mistakenly been released by American forces.

The US army admitted detaining Mohammed Jawad al-Neifus near the town of al-Mahawil, south of Baghdad, before releasing him when military checks uncovered nothing unusual. 

Mr Neifus is suspected of involvement in a mass grave, containing as many as 15,000 bodies, discovered in al-Mahawil last month.

Human Rights Watch, which has just released a report into al-Mahawil, said the news of his release would anger