Microsoft debuts book search tool BBC News
Anyone wanting to view an obscure tome from the vaults of the British Library will be able to look for it online from Thursday.Microsoft is releasing its Live Search Books, a rival to Google's Book Search, in test, or beta, version in the US. The digital archive will include books from the collections of the British Library, the University of California and the University of Toronto. Books from three other institutions will be added in January 2007.

Search full text
All the books currently included in the project will be non-copyrighted but later it will also add copyrighted work that publishers have given permission to include in the project. "We feel very strongly about copyright. We don't do any mass scanning of in-copyright works," said Danielle Tiedt, the general manager of Live Search Selection for Microsoft. Initially the database of available books will be searchable from the book search engine's home page or as a category on the main Windows Live Search page. Later Microsoft plans to integrate all the books scanned into its general search engine. "What we are focusing more of our efforts on for live searching is integrating all of those content types together to give you the most relevant results. If, for example, it's a search on historical content, chance are the most authoritative content may be found in a books search," said Ms Tiedt. The system has a feature called "search inside a book" which will allow users to search the full text of books. "We've focused on making the search experience really impactful...People will have full access to all of the text," said Ms Tiedt. A separate global digital library plan by Google is also under way. The search giant is spending $200m (£110m) to create a digital archive of millions of books from four top US libraries. It is also digitising out-of-copyright books from the UK's Oxford University. In contrast to Microsoft Google's plans include adding both copyright and non-copyright books from participating institutions. Although only copyrighted books will be available to view in full text, its project has come under fire from the Association of American Publishers and the Authors Guild

Fawcett finishes cancer treatment BBC News
Charlie's Angel actress Farrah Fawcett has finished the chemotherapy treatment she began after being diagnosed with a cancerous tumour."I am starting to feel better," the 59-year-old told Access Hollywood. The star, who confirmed she was ill in October, also thanked her fans who she said had kept her "strong". She now plans to get back to work after the holidays. Fawcett's publicist, Mike Pingel, said: "Her spirits are high, she's feeling good."

Good prognosis
"Her plans are to recover and take the time to heal, and she is also looking forward to the holidays with her family," he added. He refused to disclose the type of cancer she was treated for, but insisted her prognosis was good. Fawcett starred in just one series of Charlie's Angels but made guest appearances in later programmes. She has since appeared in a number of movies and mini-series, including Spin City and The Guardian, securing three Emmy nominations.

Iraq report 'is no magic formula' BBC News
A report on US policy in Iraq says there is no "magic formula" to solve the crisis, the White House has said. US President George W Bush, who has received the Iraq Study Group (ISG) report, said it gave "a tough assessment" of the situation in Iraq.US President George W Bush, who has received the Iraq Study Group (ISG) report, said it gave "a tough assessment" of the situation in Iraq. The report, to be made public later, warns of the "consequences of continued decline", the White House said. It stops short of a firm timetable for a US troop pullout and urges talks with Iran and Syria on their neighbour. Washington has so far refused to hold direct talks with Iran and Syria. Mr Bush has said the report will be taken "very seriously" and has promised to "act in a timely fashion" on it. "It is a report that brings some really very interesting proposals, and we will take every proposal seriously and we will act in a timely fashion," he said. The report also calls for renewed US efforts to resolve the wider conflict in the Middle East, leaks suggest.

'Humanitarian catastrophe'
White House spokesman Tony Snow said the 142-page report included 79 recommendations.The ISG had been expected to recommend a gradual phased withdrawal of US troops over the next 18 months. He said there was "no timetable" and "no recommendation for immediate withdrawal. "There is nothing in there about pulling back militarily," Mr Snow said. However, the review recommended that the US "engage directly with Iran and Syria", and that Washington should "consider incentives and disincentives" for the two nations. There was "talk of building a larger support group that would include all neighbours," during the hour-long meeting of ISG members, he said. Speaking ahead of the report, Syria has repeated its willingness to co-operate with the US. Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said it was in Syria's interest to help Iraq, and that his country had had interesting discussions with members of the ISG. The report raised "the consequences of continued decline" in Iraq, Mr Snow added. According to the Associated Press news agency, it warned that if the situation worsened there was a risk of a "slide toward chaos (that) could trigger the collapse of Iraq's government and a humanitarian catastrophe. "Neighbouring countries could intervene... The global standing of the United States could be diminished. Americans could become more polarised," commissioners said.

Dozens interviewed
The 10-member panel headed by former Secretary of State James Baker has been working since April to come up with recommendations.The ISG has met or spoken to more than 170 individuals, including Iraq's leaders, President Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, ambassadors and other senior officials from among Iraq's neighbours and the US. Hundreds of others have fed their suggestions to four working groups, which have written analytical papers for the panel's benefit. Mr Blair arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a visit which will include meetings with President Bush and congressional leaders.
Commission Says Iraq Situation 'Grave' ABC News
Baker report could point way to Iraq exit Times Online
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Australia overturns cloning ban BBC News
Australia's parliament has lifted a ban on cloning human embryos for stem cell research, despite opposition from the prime minister and other party leaders. The House of Representatives approved the legislation by a vote of 82 to 62. It was passed by the Senate last month. It will clear the way for researchers to engage in therapeutic cloning. Scientists hope stem cell research will lead to treatments for conditions including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as spinal cord injuries. Members of parliament were permitted a conscience vote - meaning they were not bound by their party's policy - following heated debate. Despite strong support for the bill, both Prime Minister John Howard and new Labour leader Kevin Rudd made impassioned speeches against repealing the ban. "I think what we're talking about here is a moral absolute and that is why I cannot support the legislation," Mr Howard said. "I don't think the science has shifted enough to warrant the parliament changing its view, and for that reason I'm going to vote against the bill."

Future treatment
Australia's first laws on stem cell research were passed in 2002, allowing scientists to extract stem cells from embryos left over from IVF programmes, but banning cell cloning. The new legislation will allow therapeutic cloning - the splicing of skin cells with eggs to produce an embryo from which stem cells (capable of forming human tissues) can be taken. The cloned embryos cannot be implanted in a womb and must be destroyed within 14 days. The senator who drafted the bill, former Health Minister Kay Patterson, said the law would be introduced in six months after health and science authorities drafted guidelines for egg donation and research licences. "This work's being done in Sweden, England, the United States, in Japan... I didn't see how we could accept any treatment derived from this in the future if we didn't allow the research here in Australia," Ms Patterson said. She said she believed the legislation could be made more liberal and that it must be reviewed after three years.

Serb suspect 'can be force-fed' BBC News
Judges at The Hague have ordered that Serbian war crimes suspect Vojislav Seselj be force-fed if necessary to stop him dying from a hunger strike. A doctor who examined Mr Seselj said he could die in two weeks if he persisted with his protest. The 52-year-old ultra-nationalist leader "could have a cardiac arrest", said French doctor Patrick Barriot. Mr Seselj denies charges of driving the ethnic cleansing of former Yugoslavia in the 1990s wars.

Italy busts 'migrant kidnap gang' BBC News, Rome
Italian police say they have broken up a gang suspected of kidnapping illegal immigrants and holding them for ransom. Police say the gang was helping people escape holding centres in the south of Italy and then taking them captive. Many of those who land on the southern shores of Italy have already paid large sums of money to the traffickers who arrange their passage. Now some are being locked up in old abandoned buildings until their family pays a ransom of up to $800. The victims were immigrants from Eritrea, Sudan and Morocco, who had travelled to join relatives already in Italy. In one operation, called Slave, the police arrested seven Sudanese nationals in the town of Crotone, in Calabria, home to one of the biggest detention centres. But while they have broken up one gang, they suspect there are others involved in the same work.

Black market
They were alerted to the problem by one immigrant family who complained about the fee they had been forced to pay. It can often take families several weeks to find the money. The problem highlights the difficulties the authorities face coping with huge numbers of illegal immigrants in Italy. Pressure on the detention centres leads to thousands being let out of the back door, usually with notice to leave the country within a week. In reality, they disappear into black sector employment. Most leave the centres with nothing - they are vulnerable and at risk from those offering help.
By Christian Fraser

Commission calls for cuts in cod BBC News
The European Commission has called for cuts in catches of cod, herring, plaice, whiting and haddock for 2007. Announcing its annual recommendations to European ministers, the commission said there had been no significant improvement in cod stocks. Conservation groups say the commission's proposed 25% cut in cod catch would make little impact. In October, the EU's scientific advisory body recommended that no cod or anchovy should be caught next year. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (Ices) has made this recommendation on cod four years running, but each year the commission has recommended more modest cuts which have been made still more modest by European ministers. This year's final decision is anticipated on 19 December.

'Modest' target
European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg admitted that fishing pressure was still too great on some stocks, but said others were showing signs of recovery. "We must take heart from the positive signs observed in some of the stocks subject to long-term [recovery] plans," he told reporters at a Brussels news conference. Stocks showing signs of recovery include populations of hake around northern Europe and some populations of mackerel, for which the commission recommends increases in the annual catch. But these are the exception. The commission wants quotas cut for cod, herring, plaice, pollack, skate, sole, whiting, ling, Norway lobster, tusk, and most haddock populations. In November, a vast global study of fisheries projected that without major changes in fishing behaviour there would be nothing left to fish from the world's seas by 2050. Environmental groups have condemned what they describe as "modest" recommendations from the European Commission. WWF's Fisheries Policy Officer Tom Pickerell said: "Making continued adjustments to cod quotas alone will frankly not help cod populations recover, or enable fishermen to make long-term plans." The organisation advocates expanding the use of selective fishing gear, placing observers on boats, and setting limits on bycatch (catching species other than the target).

Rwandan genocide pastor released BBC News
An 81-year-old Rwandan pastor jailed for 10 years for his part in Rwanda's 1994 genocide has been released.Elizaphan Ntakirutimana is the first convict of the UN's International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to be freed after serving their sentence. He was jailed in 2003 but given credit for time served before the trial. The Seventh Day Adventist clergyman was accused of personally driving Hutu attackers to places where Tutsis had taken refuge. His son, Doctor Gerard Ntakirutimana, is serving a 25-year sentence for murdering Tutsi civilians. Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered in just 100 days in 1994 by Hutu extremists. During Pastor Ntakirutimina's trial, the court heard how Tutsis had taken refuge in the early days of the killing at the Mugonero Hospital and Church complex, where his son worked, in western Rwanda. As a respected member of the Seventh Adventist Day Church, some fellow clergymen hiding in the complex sent him a letter begging him for help. The letter asked him as a man of God to intercede. "We wish to inform you that tomorrow, we will be killed along with our families," it read. Instead, the pastor transported the attackers to the hospital complex and also ordered the roof of a church ripped off, so that the unarmed men, women and children inside could be more easily killed. The ICTR, based in the Tanzanian town of Arusha, has been trying the high-profile genocide cases. Since 1997 it has convicted 26 ringleaders of the genocide and acquitted five people.

Iraq panel demands urgent change BBC News
A major report on US policy in Iraq has called for a new approach and urgent action to stop "a slide towards chaos".The current US strategy of staying the course was no longer viable, Iraq Study Group leader James Baker said. The report says US troops should be withdrawn from combat and instead used to train Iraqis. It urges talks with Iran and Syria, a move which the US has so far rejected. President George W Bush said the report would be taken "very seriously". He also pledged to "act in a timely fashion". The ISG report also advocates renewed US efforts to resolve the wider conflict in the Middle East. The review came as the US military said 10 American soldiers had been killed in four incidents in Iraq.

'Humanitarian catastrophe'
Correspondents say the review offers no big surprises and no quick fixes.The 142-page report includes 79 recommendations, of which three are key:

• A change in the primary mission of US forces in Iraq to enable it to begin to move combat forces out responsibly
• Prompt action by the Iraqi government to achieve reconciliation
• New and enhanced diplomatic efforts in the region

The report offers no hard timetable for a pullout of US forces, but says that combat troops could withdraw by early 2008. However, the review recommended that the US "engage directly with Iran and Syria", and that Washington should "consider incentives and disincentives" for the two nations. Speaking ahead of the report, Syria repeated its willingness to co-operate with the US, and said it was in Syria's interest to help Iraq. But correspondents say the president appears unlikely to heed the call for more engagement with Syria and Iran, amid efforts by the administration to isolate both states.

Iraqi reaction
The ISG report warns that if the situation worsens, there is a risk of a "slide toward chaos [that] could trigger the collapse of Iraq's government and a humanitarian catastrophe". "Neighbouring countries could intervene... The global standing of the United States could be diminished. Americans could become more polarised," it warns. Mr Baker said a new way forward should be implemented as quickly as possible. "[Iraqis] have been liberated from the nightmare of tyrannical order only to face the nightmare of brutal violence. "As a matter of humanitarian concern, as a matter of humanitarian interest and as a matter of practical necessity it is time to find a new approach." The Iraqi government has welcomed the report. Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said the proposals were in line with the government's view that security must be transferred to Iraqis. However, a spokesman for the main Sunni bloc in parliament said the report should have included a specific timetable for an American withdrawal. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, meanwhile, arrived in Washington on Wednesday for a visit which will include meetings with President Bush and congressional leaders - with Iraq expected to top the agenda.

Water flowed 'recently' on Mars BBC News
Nasa says it has found "compelling" evidence that liquid water flowed recently on the surface of Mars.The finding adds further weight to the idea that Mars might harbour the right conditions for life. The appearance of gullies, revealed in orbital images from a Nasa probe, suggests that water could have flowed on the surface in the last few years. But some scientists think these fresh gullies could also have been cut by liquid carbon dioxide (CO2). The latest research emerged when Nasa's Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft spotted gullies and trenches that scientists believed were geologically young and carved by fast-moving water coursing down cliffs and steep crater walls. Scientists at the San Diego-based Malin Space Science Systems, who operate a camera aboard MGS decided to retake photos of thousands of gullies in search of evidence for recent water activity. Two gullies that were originally photographed in 1999 and 2001, and imaged again in 2004 and 2005, showed changes consistent with water flowing down the crater walls, according to the study. In both cases, scientists found bright, light-coloured deposits in the gullies that were not present in the original photos. They concluded that the deposits - possibly mud, salt or frost - were left there when water recently cascaded through the channels. Other scientists think it possible that gullies like this were caused not by water but by liquid carbon dioxide. One of the reasons for favouring CO2 was that computer models of the Martian crust indicated water could exist only at depths of several kilometres. Liquid carbon dioxide, on the other hand, could persist much nearer the surface where temperatures can drop as low as -107C.

Prospects for life
Oded Aharonson, an assistant professor of planetary science at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) said that while the interpretation of recent water activity on Mars was "compelling," it was just one possible explanation. Aharonson said further study was needed to determine whether the deposits could have been left there by the flow of dust rather than water. Deciding what was responsible for the features is a pressing question that has important consequences for the likelihood of life on Mars. Scientists have proposed that reservoirs of liquid water could exist beneath the Martian surface, providing a habitat for microbial life. "This underscores the importance of searching for life on Mars, either present or past," said Bruce Jakosky, an astrobiologist at the University of Colorado at Boulder, who had no role in the study. "It's one more reason to think that life could be there." Mars Global Surveyor abruptly lost radio contact with Earth last month. Attempts to locate the spacecraft, which has mapped the Red Planet since 1996, have failed, and scientists fear it is lost. Nasa's Mars rovers, which landed in 2004, have sent scientists back equally strong evidence that liquid water flowed on the surface in ancient times, based on observations of alterations in ancient rocks. "We're now realising Mars is more active than we previously thought, and that the mid-latitude section seems to be where all the action is," said Arizona State University scientist Phil Christensen, who was not part of the current research. Details of the work appear in the journal Science.

Radiation find in British embassy BBC News
Small traces of a radioactive substance have been found at the British embassy in Moscow following a precautionary check, the UK Foreign Office has said. But officials said the levels of radiation found would not pose a risk to public health. It comes as British police said they were treating the death of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko as murder. The former KGB agent's death on 23 November, in London, has been linked to the highly toxic isotope polonium-210. "Detectives in this case are keeping an open mind and methodically following the evidence," Scotland Yard said in a statement. "It is important to stress that we have reached no conclusions as to the means employed, the motive or the identity of those who might be responsible for Mr Litvinenko's death." The British embassy announced on 4 December it would test one of its rooms as a precaution, after former KGB bodyguard Andrei Lugovoi visited the building to deny any involvement in the poisoning of Mr Litvinenko. Mr Lugovoi and another Russian businessman reportedly met with the former spy in London on 1 November.

Italian contact
Earlier, Mario Scaramella, the Italian academic who met the ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko on the day he fell ill, was discharged from hospital in London. Mr Scaramella was under observation after testing positive for polonium-210. He had a meeting with Mr Litvinenko on 1 November at a sushi bar in central London. A spokesman for University College Hospital said Mr Scaramella was not showing any symptoms of radiation poisoning. The Health Protection Agency also confirmed that staff at the restaurant where the pair met had all tested negative for radiation.

Interview
Meanwhile, Dmitry Kovtun, a business associate of Mr Lugovoi, is reported to have been interviewed by British police in Moscow. The pair met Mr Litvinenko on 1 November at the Millennium Hotel in central London. Mr Lugovoi is also expected to talk to British detectives in the Russian capital, his business associate Vyacheslav Sokolenko said. Mr Sokolenko confirmed he was in London with Mr Lugovoi on 1 November, but said he did not meet or know Mr Litvinenko. He said the meeting would be at the clinic where he says Mr Lugovoi is undergoing medical checks. Russian officials are expected to conduct the interviewing of Mr Lugovoi on Wednesday but British detectives will be in attendance. "If they show me a list of people that they want to meet and if there are names missing on that list, names that I believe would be interesting to propose to them, then I certainly will," Mr Lugovoi previously told NTV television.Nine Metropolitan police officers are currently in Moscow but have had restrictions placed on their investigations into Mr Litvinenko's death by the authorities. Russia's chief prosecutor, Yuri Chaika, said his own officers would be conducting any witness interviews, British officers could not arrest Russian citizens and suspects would not be extradited to Britain. Scotland Yard's anti-terrorism unit has not confirmed who officers will be meeting. British police launched their investigation after Mr Litvinenko, 43, died in a London hospital on 23 November. Tests have been carried out at a number of venues the ex-spy visited in London on 1 November.

'Hostile people'
Earlier, Mr Scaramella said he had received a "general alert" about the former spy's security. In an interview from his hospital bed he told CNN he had travelled to London for a conference, but had changed his plans to discuss the threat with Mr Litvinenko. He said had received e-mails claiming that both he and Mr Litvinenko were "under the special attention of hostile people", but neither man believed the threats were real. When asked what kind of people would be targeting him, he said: "People linked with some clandestine organisations, not directly under control of Russian establishment but from Russia." Friends believe Mr Litvinenko was poisoned because of his criticisms of the Russian government, but the Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way as "sheer nonsense".

Study backs Libya HIV case medics BBC News
Scientists have cast doubt on charges that five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor deliberately infected Libyan children with HIV. The medics could face the death penalty if found guilty by a court in Tripoli later this month. An international team analysed samples taken from the infected patients. Writing in Nature, they said their work showed the HIV subtype involved began infecting patients in Libya well before the medical workers arrived in 1998. An initial trial condemned the medics to death in 2004, but the Libyan Supreme Court overturned the verdicts, and ordered a retrial. The defendants are accused of knowingly infecting more than 400 children with HIV in the eastern town of Benghazi. The medics say that they were tortured into giving false confessions. The first trial lasted almost six years, and the medics have been in jail since 1999. They say the children were infected through poor hygiene - and a body of scientific work supports their claims.

History of outbreak
The researchers worked on blood samples collected by a network of European clinical research centres that are involved in treating the infected children. By analysing mutations in the genetic material of the HIV virus found in the samples they were able to reconstruct the history of the outbreak. Lead researcher Dr Tulio de Oliveira, from Oxford University, said: "All the lines of scientific evidence point in the same direction, towards a long standing infection control problem at the hospital, dating back to the mid 1990s or earlier." Dr Thomas Leitner, of Los Alamos National Laboratory, has provided forensic evidence in many HIV cases. Writing in Nature, he said the latest research was "compelling evidence that the outbreak had started before the accused could have started it." There has been mounting international pressure on Libya to hear independent scientific evidence. International experts say the scientific report used in the trial was nothing but 'conjecture' and 'supposition'. Last month 114 Nobel Laureates wrote an open letter to Colonel Gaddafi urging the appropriate authorities to hear independent science-based evidence, and reaffirming the need for a fair trial.

Copyright pirates face crackdown BBC News
Copyright criminals must face far tougher regulation to protect the entertainment industry, a report says. The Gowers Report was commissioned by the government to look at modernising UK copyright laws for the digital age. While it proposes new powers against copyright infringement, it also says private users should be allowed to copy music from a CD to their MP3 player. It also recommends the 50-year copyright protection for recorded music should not be extended. Former newspaper editor Andrew Gowers said piracy and counterfeiting was probably the biggest challenge the intellectual property (IP) system faced. The report estimates 20% of the entertainment industry's turnover was lost to illegal copying and says tougher enforcement is a vital part of reform. It calls for penalties against people who sell pirate versions of music and films on the internet to be brought in line with those who make hard copies. Currently, the former face two years and the latter 10. The chancellor has welcomed this and announced an extra £5m for Trading Standards officers to take action against more bootleggers. A hotly-debated aspect of the review was an examination of the copyright on sound recordings. Many artists and record companies had pressed for the current 50-year limit to be extended to 95 but Mr Gowers has rejected this. If this is approved it would mean recordings by 1950s artists, notably Sir Cliff Richard, will come out of copyright during the next few years.

'Right balance'
But the report recognised the ease of copying material can be useful to the economy and backed a strictly limited private copying exception. This would mean "format swapping" like putting music from a CD onto an MP3 player - theoretically illegal under present laws - would be allowed. Mr Gowers says: "The ideal IP system creates incentives for innovation, without unduly limiting access for consumers and follow-on innovators." The British Phonographic Industry (BPI), which represents the mainstream recording industry, broadly welcomed the report but said it would continue to press for the copyright extension. Peter Jamieson, chairman of the BPI, said: "Stealing music is effectively stealing the future of British musicians and the people who invest in them. "The decision on extension is ultimately for the European Commission and we will be putting our case vigorously when it reviews the relevant directive next year." The Association of Independent Music (AIM) said it was particularly unhappy over the issue of allowing more private copying. A spokesman said: "This is taking pragmatism to the point of capitulation, and falls drastically short of creating the progressive copyright framework needed in the digital age. "By tidying up a small part of the copyright law, we believe Gowers may well be opening the floodgates to uncontrolled and unstoppable private copying and sharing from person to person, as well as format to format."

Revenue lost
However, regulatory bodies like the Federation Against Copyright Theft (Fact) were fully behind the report's conclusions. Kieron Sharp, Fact director general, commented: "Film piracy has been seen by some as a "soft" crime yet it brings harm and other serious criminal activity to local communities. "Criminals made over £270m from film piracy in 2005, making this the worst affected single sector for intellectual property crime out of all IP industries. "This is revenue that has been lost to the local and national economy and is affecting British jobs."

'Hugely important'
The Alliance Against IP Theft, which represents creative and manufacturing industries, called for an IP minister to oversee the issue. Director general Susie Winter said: "This is a battle royal against a cunning and adaptable enemy. "Consumers who buy fake goods will be horrified to discover where their money is actually going. "The government's response requires all hands on deck, from the police, trading standards officers and the judiciary, to educators, business and the Treasury." A spokesman for the Treasury said: "We welcome the report and will be carrying its recommendations forward. "The chancellor specifically highlighted the huge importance of creativity and intellectual skills to the economy."

France launches world TV channel BBC News
France's first international news channel has been launched into competition with BBC World and CNN.France 24 was unveiled on the internet at on Wednesday evening, and will launch on satellite and cable TV 24 hours later. The channel has the backing of French President Jacques Chirac, who despaired at the lack of an outlet for French views in the run up to war in Iraq. But some critics have complained it has insufficient funding to compete. The network has a budget of 86m euros a year. That compares with 900m euros for CNN.France 24's 170 journalists will be spread across two parallel services in French and English. Later it will add Spanish and Arabic broadcasts. Some experts have said this will leave it stretched. It will be able to call on correspondents from private channel TF1 and state-owned France Televisions channels, which will jointly run France 24, but there have been concerns that it is not clear who will take priority.

'Through French eyes'
The fanfare leading up to the launch included full-page advertisements in French newspapers Le Parisien and Le Figaro on Wednesday, alongside the channel's slogan: "All the news you're not supposed to know." The running order was said to include an interview with President Chirac. The president visited the station's newsroom ahead of the launch. France 24's journalists have signed a mission statement "to cover international news with a French perspective... and to carry the values of France throughout the world". But the channel insists it is independent and will not just follow the government line. "Our mission is to cover worldwide news with French eyes," said the channel's head, Alain de Pouzilhac.

Bush, Blair seek new way in Iraq BBC News
US President George W Bush has said a major review of US policy in Iraq is worthy of "serious study", after talks with Tony Blair at the White House.The Iraq Study Group (ISG) urged talks with Iran and Syria on tackling Iraq's unrest, a move Mr Bush has resisted. The two leaders agreed that a new way forward was needed. For his part, Mr Blair welcomed the report and mirrored its call for action on finding an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He conceded that conditions in Iraq were "tough and challenging". But he said the people of the Middle East faced a choice - either secular or religious dictatorship, or, alternatively, to enjoy the democracy that the West held so dear. On proposals to involve Iran and Syria in talks on Iraq, the two leaders said both countries would first have to be clear that they favoured a democratically elected government in Iraq and ended their support for terrorism.

Middle East trip
The ISG's assessment of the Bush administration's policy in Iraq is scathing, saying the situation there is "deteriorating" and warning that "time is running out". "It's bad in Iraq," Mr Bush conceded to reporters. But he said the violence was not a result of "faulty planning". "It is a deliberate strategy. "It is the direct result of outside extremists teaming up with internal extremists... to foment hatred and to throttle at birth the possibility of a non-sectarian democracy." Mr Bush said the US and Britain would continue to work together towards bringing peace and freedom to Iraq. The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says that, for an increasingly lonely Mr Bush, the presence of Mr Blair, a friendly face and an able advocate for the cause, will be very welcome. Mr Bush said the UK leader would be travelling to the Middle East shortly with the aim of finding an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. "I support the mission because it is important for us to advance the cause of two states living side by side, helping both parties eliminate the obstacles that prevent an agreement from being reached." Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has rejected the ISG's assessment that progress in Iraq is linked to resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians - although he said he was interested in re-starting peace talks. But he ruled out opening peace talks with Syria in the near future, as recommended in the report.

No quick fixes
The ISG report was published on the day that Robert Gates was confirmed as the new US defence secretary. He has acknowledged the US is not winning the war in Iraq and has stressed he is open to new ideas. Correspondents say the review offers no big surprises and no quick fixes. The 142-page report includes 79 recommendations, of which three are key:

• A change in the primary mission of US forces in Iraq to enable it to begin to move combat forces out responsibly
• Prompt action by the Iraqi government to achieve reconciliation
• New and enhanced diplomatic efforts in the region

The Iraqi government welcomed the review. Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said the proposals were in line with the government's view that security must be transferred to Iraqis. However, a spokesman for the main Sunni bloc in parliament said the report should have included a specific timetable for a US withdrawal. Correspondents say the time needed for the White House to consider the report fully will mean a period of uncertainty that could stretch to weeks. Analysts say Mr Bush will want to refer to his own policy review, being carried out by the National Security Council, and another being conducted by the Pentagon before announcing major policy changes.

Russia to investigate spy's death BBC News
Russian prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into the death in London last month of former KGB agent, Alexander Litvinenko. Litvinenko, a vocal critic of the Kremlin, is believed to have been poisoned by a large dose of radiation. The Russian investigation will run in parallel to a murder inquiry UK police are conducting into the death. The Kremlin has rejected Litvinenko's deathbed accusation that they ordered his poisoning. A funeral service for the former agent was held at a central London mosque on Thursday.

Second 'poisoning'
As well as Litvinenko's death, Russian prosecutors say they are investigating what they describe as the attempted poisoning of another man, Dmitry Kovtun. Mr Kovtun, a security expert, was reportedly one of the last people to have met Litvinenko before he fell sick. He later showed signs of radiation poisoning, prosecutors said. Prosecutors in Moscow said their criminal investigation would enable them to conduct a trial in Russia - if a Russian suspect was found. Moscow has already said it would not extradite any suspects on Russian soil to the UK. According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, Moscow's investigation will take place "within the framework" of assistance being offered to British investigators. British police visiting Moscow are due to interview another witness in the affair, a former KGB agent, Andrei Lugovoi. Mr Lugovoi reportedly accompanied Mr Kovtun to a meeting with Litvinenko at London's Millenium Hotel last month. The BBC has learnt that workers at the hotel have also tested positive for low levels of polonium-210, the radioactive substance blamed for Litvinenko's death. Traces of the substance have been found at about 10 different locations in London and on two British Airways planes.

Paris riot probe confirms chase BBC News
An internal report by the French police has confirmed that police were chasing two youths whose deaths sparked riots across the country, a lawyer said. Jean-Pierre Mignard, who is representing the boys' families, said the report criticised officers for failing to prevent their deaths. Teenagers Bouna Traore and Zyed Benna were electrocuted at a sub-station in a Paris suburb in October 2005. Their deaths triggered three weeks of violence in suburbs across France. Mr Mignard said the report, by the police investigation service IGS, found officers had behaved "thoughtlessly, with surprising absent-mindedness".

'Failure to assist'
The report confirmed - based on radio exchanges at the time - that police chased the boys into the electricity sub-station in Clichy-sous-Bois, something police had initially denied. It said officers took no action to ensure the boys' safety in the site - including alerting power provider Electricite de France, although it says that this might not necessarily have saved their lives. The document - parts of which were published by the French newspaper Le Monde - has been passed to the judge investigating the case. Five police officers have been questioned as part of a probe into "failure to assist a person in danger", the French news agency AFP reports. The weeks of violence that followed the boys' deaths highlighted tensions in mainly poor suburbs with large immigrant populations. During the clashes - between youths of mainly North African origin and police - more than 10,000 cars were set ablaze and 300 buildings firebombed.

Turkey 'will open up to Cyprus' BBC News
The EU is studying an offer by Turkey to open one port and one airport to traffic from Cyprus, Finland says. The European Commission said the move, if confirmed, was "an important step" towards breaking the deadlock over Turkey's EU membership application. There is no clear condition attached to the Turkish proposal, which was made verbally, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Istanbul. EU foreign ministers are to discuss Turkey's troubled EU bid on Monday. Then the EU heads of government will have to decide at a summit on 14-15 December. Until now, Turkey has always insisted that the EU must first end the economic isolation of Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus. The UK government, long an enthusiast for Turkish membership of the EU, described Turkey's new offer as significant and creative. Last week, the European Commission recommended freezing eight of the 35 chapters in Turkey's EU accession negotiations, because of a failure to make headway over Cyprus.

'Two-way deal'
Finland, the current EU president, said Turkey made the new approach on Wednesday. A Finnish spokesman said it was not clear whether the offer met the EU's demands, and that details, like which port and airport were involved, or when they might be opened, were still to be defined. Turkey has been urging the EU to end the isolation of northern Cyprus by allowing trade through Ercan airport and the port of Famagusta. A Turkish foreign ministry source was quoted by Reuters as saying: "This is a two-way deal. We would require the same number of airports and ports to be opened on each side." Cyprus will not agree to Ercan airport being opened to international flights as part of a compromise deal, Cypriot government spokesman Christodoulos Pashiardis told Reuters on Thursday. Currently the only flights to northern Cyprus are routed via Turkey.

'Positive influence'
Finland, during its EU presidency, has been trying to break the deadlock over Cyprus, in order to keep Turkey's talks on track. It has proposed that the first step towards Turkish recognition of Cyprus should be the opening of Turkish ports to Cypriot traffic, with the EU simultaneously allowing trade through northern Cyprus. A European Commission spokeswoman said on Thursday it "considers that the Turkish initiative, if confirmed, is an important step towards the full implementation of the Ankara protocol". The protocol covers trade between Turkey and the EU's new members, including Cyprus. "This should have a positive influence on the discussion concerning the management of the continuation of the accession negotiation with Turkey."

Violence 'eroding Afghan hopes' BBC News
Optimism in Afghanistan has slumped in the past year amid worsening violence, an ABC/BBC poll has found. While a majority remain hopeful about the future, the mood has darkened because of concern over the resurgent Taleban, poverty and corruption. But most people backed Hamid Karzai's government and more than 70% said they welcomed the foreign troop presence. Nationally, the Taleban proved very unpopular, although levels of support showed significant regional variations. The poll, a joint project by ABC News in the US and the BBC World Service, surveyed 1,036 Afghans nationwide via face-to-face interviews. An equal number of men and women were interviewed. Click here to see levels of Taleban presence and Afghan support for the group. It comes with Afghanistan embroiled in the bloodiest period of violence since US-led troops overthrew the Taleban's radical Islamic government five years ago.

Taleban 'greatest threat'
According to the survey, Afghans viewed their country with significantly more pessimism than a year ago. Fifty-five percent thought that Afghanistan was going in the right direction, a drop of 22 points since October 2005. President Hamid Karzai's approval rating was down by 15 points, although 68% still rated him as good or excellent and a similar figure backed his government. Nearly six out of 10 people said security was better now than under the Taleban, but 40% reported Taleban violence in their local area. This figure soared in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, which have seen the fiercest fighting. Only 43% of respondents in these two provinces believed the country was heading in the right direction, a drop of 35 points since last year. Most Afghans, 57%, called the Taleban the greatest threat to the country and nationally, the Taleban proved very unpopular. Seventy-six percent of respondents said their impression of the Taleban was very unfavourable, while Osama Bin Laden was even less liked. But in six provinces in the south-east of the country, support for the Taleban was higher, with almost half said to give them some degree of backing.

Economic woes
More than half believed that US forces should remain until the security situation stabilised, but there was a rise in the number who said that the US should withdraw within a year. There was broad opposition to attacks on troops, government officials and police, with nearly 90% saying that suicide bombings could not be justified. Acceptance of opium poppy cultivation appeared to be rising, particularly in provinces which are major producers. Forty percent said growing opium was acceptable if there was no other way to earn a living. Official corruption emerged as a widespread problem, and barely a third of Afghans believed that the economy was in good shape. Lack of jobs, poor infrastructure and insufficient medical care remained issues of concern, as did poverty - three-quarters reported monthly household incomes of less than 12,000 Afghanis ($244. The report also highlighted a growing rural-urban divide, with city dwellers reporting better services and infrastructure, as well as higher ownership of things like mobile telephones and electrical appliances. Women's rights were seen as having improved since the Taleban - 72% of women described their rights as good. Yet support for women in management roles remained low and backing for arranged marriages high. Ninety percent of Afghans said hitting a woman was unacceptable.

Pearl Harbor remembered Herald Democrat
We were told by a caller early in the week we shouldn’t forget about Pearl Harbor Day, and we haven’t. Like June 6, 1944; Nov. 22, 1963; and Sept. 11, 2001, there are some days that will live through many generations before they become more obscure — not that they ever should.The fact is, many people still kicking were alive when history took dramatic turns each of those days. And those whose lives were affected deeply don’t want anyone to forget — ever. In the case of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the loss of 2,300 lives punctuates the need to remember. The day that still lives in infamy led the United States directly into World War II. For many years to come, our best and brightest young men and women found themselves in foreign lands, and their lives and the lives of their families were forever marked. Many thousands never returned home. Nine years ago, in a “Good morning” column written on Dec. 7, we made reference to “a foreign nation had actually attacked the United States on its own soil,” and added, “It is hard to imagine anything before or since having a similar emotional impact on the entire nation.” We could not have foreseen what was to come less than four years later, and we would never have dreamed of a new kind of war involving our troops in the Middle East. No matter what our political leanings, on a day like today it is appropriate for us all to pause and say a prayer for those who died in service for our nation, and for those who were simply at a place in our history when and where evil raised it’s ugly arm and struck down the innocent. It is a season for prayer, and a season for renewal. And in the midst of it, it is a good time for reflection on both our trials and our blessings. Days such as this make it easier to remember the reason we should not forget.
by Don Eldredge

Bush: No early Iran-Syria talks BBC News
US President George W Bush has ruled out early talks with Iran and Syria on tackling Iraq's unrest, after meeting Tony Blair at the White House.Their talks came a day after a damning US report called for such a move as part of a change in strategy on Iraq. The two leaders agreed that a new way forward was needed on Iraq. But they said Iran and Syria would have to be clear they backed a non-sectarian democratically elected government in Iraq and ended support for terrorism. Mr Blair welcomed the Iraq Study Group (ISG) report, and mirrored its call for action on finding an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He conceded conditions in Iraq were "tough and challenging".But he said the people of the Middle East faced a choice - either secular or religious dictatorship, or "they can enjoy the same possibilities of democracy that we hold dear". The leaders called for:

• Support for a non-sectarian democratically elected government in Iraq
• Iran and Syria and other neighbours to meet their own responsibilities towards Iraq
• Renewed efforts to bring peace to the wider Middle East

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus, says the comments gave little sign the leaders planned to shift their ground after the ISG review - with both sticking to their overall goals for Iraq and the Middle East.

Middle East trip
The ISG's assessment of the Bush administration's policy in Iraq is scathing, saying the situation there is "deteriorating" and warning that "time is running out"."It's bad in Iraq," Mr Bush conceded to reporters. But he said the violence was not a result of "faulty planning". And he stressed an Iraq that could govern and sustain itself was a noble cause - which extremists inside and outside the country were trying to prevent. The ISG urged talks with Iran and Syria on tackling the instability. But Mr Bush said US policy towards Tehran would change only if Iran verifiably suspended its uranium enrichment programme. Syria needed to be told to stop destabilising the Lebanese government and allowing arms and money flowing to insurgents in Iraq. "They know what is expected of them," he said. Mr Bush said the US and Britain would continue to work together towards bringing peace and freedom to Iraq. He announced the UK leader would be travelling to the Middle East shortly with the aim of finding an end to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has rejected the ISG's assessment that progress in Iraq is linked to resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians - although he said he was interested in re-starting peace talks. But he ruled out opening peace talks with Syria in the near future, as recommended in the report.

UN appeals for Palestinian funds BBC News
The United Nations has launched an appeal to raise $450m in humanitarian relief funds for the Palestinian territories next year. Two-thirds of Palestinians live in poverty, a UN spokesman said. The Palestinian economy has been in crisis since international sanctions were imposed on the Hamas-led government earlier this year. The UN says growing numbers of people in the West Bank and Gaza are not able to meet their daily food needs. It is the largest appeal the UN has launched to help the Palestinians and follows the $384m wanted for 2006. The United States, Israel and the European Union imposed sanctions on the Hamas-led administration because of its refusal to recognise Israel's right to exist and to renounce violence.

Increasing tensions
The UN appeal "is particularly aimed at assisting the most vulnerable Palestinians, including children, who make up about half of the population," said Kevin Kennedy, the UN's humanitarian co-ordinator in the Palestinian territories. "Aid agencies report that basic services such as health care and education are deteriorating and set to worsen much further." Unemployment has reached 40% in the Gaza Strip and 25% in the West Bank, according to UN figures quoted by Mr Kennedy. The deteriorating economic situation in Gaza and the West Bank has led to a breakdown in law and order, says the BBC's correspondent in Jerusalem, Katya Adler. Tensions are made even worse by the severe travel restrictions imposed by Israel on the Palestinians, says our correspondent.

Russia poisoning inquiry widens BBC News
Russia is investigating the attempted murder of a contact of the former KGB agent, Alexander Litvinenko, who died in London last month.Dmitry Kovtun met Mr Litvinenko hours before he fell ill from the radioactive poison that eventually killed him. Reports that Mr Kovtun is in a critical condition have sparked speculation he too may have been poisoned. A lawyer linked to him denies he is unwell. The Russian investigation is being run parallel to a British murder inquiry. A funeral service for Mr Litvinenko was held at a central London mosque on Thursday. The former spy, a vocal critic of the Kremlin, had issued a statement on his deathbed accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of ordering his poisoning. But the Kremlin has dismissed the allegations. On Thursday, seven workers at a bar where Mr Litvinenko met Mr Kovtun before falling ill reportedly tested positive for polonium-210, the radioactive substance blamed for his death. The two men met at the Pine Bar in London's Millennium Hotel on 1 November. The UK's Health Protection Agency said the risk to the general public was likely to be "very low".

Condition unclear
Mr Kovtun was taken ill after he was questioned by British and Russian investigators, Russia's Interfax news agency said on Thursday."By the doctors' diagnosis, Kovtun's condition is critical," the agency said. Interfax had earlier reported Mr Kovtun was in a coma. However, Andrew Romashov, a lawyer, said Mr Kovtun's condition had not deteriorated since he met the prosecutors. "Kovtun's condition is satisfactory," he said, dismissing the earlier reports as "provocation". Mr Romashov, a lawyer for Mr Kovtun's business partner, ex-spy Andrei Lugovoi, said he had been in contact with Mr Kovtun's representatives. Both Mr Kovtun and Mr Lugovoi are said to have met Mr Litvinenko in the Millennium hotel before he fell ill. Mr Lugovoi is also in hospital but his condition is unclear.

Parallel investigation
Russian prosecutors on Thursday announced they would launch a criminal investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death and what they described as the attempted murder of Mr Kovtun. According to Russia's Itar-Tass news agency, Moscow's investigation will take place "within the framework" of assistance being offered to visiting British investigators. Prosecutors in Moscow said their criminal investigation would enable them to conduct a trial in Russia - if a Russian suspect was found. Moscow has already said it will not extradite any suspects to the UK.

Islamist warning for Somali force BBC News
The Islamists who control much of southern Somalia have warned they will fight any peacekeepers sent there, after the UN approved a peace force. "We see this as creating instability in Somalia. Most of Somalia is peaceful," Union of Islamic Courts official Ibrahim Adow told the BBC. The UN resolution backs the sending of an 8,000-strong African force to support Somalia's weak government. It also called for the easing of an arms ban to let the government re-arm. "Deploying foreign forces to Somalia is seen as invading forces and the Somali people are prepared to defend themselves against aggression," Mr Adow told the BBC's Network Africa programme. The US-led resolution, adopted unanimously by the 15-nation Security Council, said Somalia's transitional government represented "the only route to achieving peace and stability" in the country, which has been without effective central government since 1991. But Mr Adow said supporting the government, which only controls the area around the town of Baidoa, would create more trouble and complications in Somalia. However, observers believe it will be a long time before any peacekeepers arrive and say the UN resolution may be primarily intended to show symbolic support for the government. The East African body, Igad, which is supposed to supply the troops is understood to be split over the idea.

'Holy War'
Somalia's government has welcomed the resolution. "We thank all the members of the Security Council, especially the American government," Deputy Defence Minister Salad Ali Jelle told Reuters news agency. "This will bring solutions not war." The government and the Union of Islamic Courts are due to hold peace talks in Sudan next week. The UIC say they are capable of restoring security to the country, so there is no need for foreign peacekeepers. They have organised several demonstrations against foreign forces being deployed. They see a peacekeeping force as cover for Ethiopian troops being sent to help the government, even though the UN resolution rules out troops from countries which border Somalia, such as Ethiopia. The UIC has declared "Holy War" on Ethiopia, which has twice fought wars with Somalia, over control of Ethiopia's large Somali-speaking region. Ethiopia denies sending troops to help Somalia's government but admits to providing military trainers.

Spiralling conflict
Outgoing US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said not intervening was not an option. "The other option is that the instability we have seen in Somalia for over 15 years would spread to the region," he said. "I think the choice of doing nothing is really not a choice at all." The aim of the force would be to protect transitional institutions located in Baidoa, some 250km (155 miles) north-west of the capital. Washington also fears the Islamists are offering shelter to al-Qaeda operatives, a charge they deny. Experts worry a spiralling conflict could spill over into other countries in the Horn of Africa. The fear in particular is that Ethiopia and Eritrea will come into conflict because they support opposite sides and might see in Somalia another battleground in which to continue the intermittent war over their own border dispute. A recent UN report accused several countries, including Ethiopia and Eritrea, of breaking the international arms embargo. The Islamists have removed the check-points, at which gunmen used to extort money from commercial vehicles since taking control of the capital, Mogadishu, in June. In some areas, they have imposed strict Sharia law, such as public executions of murderers and floggings for drug dealers. Some cinemas which show foreign films and football matches and radio stations which ban Western music have been closed but in other areas under UIC control, such activities have been allowed to continue. They have also banned the popular stimulant, khat, used by many Somali gunmen.

Diana pre-inquest hearing public BBC News
The coroner in charge of the Princess Diana inquest has decided to hold a preliminary hearing in January in public, rather than in private. Mohammed Al Fayed had mounted a legal challenge over holding the hearing about Diana and his son Dodi privately. UK law states inquests must be held in public, but early hearings need not be. The Judicial Communications Office said Lady Butler-Sloss had been persuaded to change her mind because of public interest in the case. "The reasons she had in mind that led her to conclude initially that the meeting should be held in private were entirely pragmatic - such as the size of the courtroom," said a spokesman.

French investigation
Among the matters that will be decided at the hearing include whether a jury will sit on the inquest. It would be made up of members of the Royal Household as Diana was still considered a member of the Royal Family when she died. Lady Butler-Sloss will also decide on whether the princess and Dodi Al Fayed's inquests will be held jointly or separately. Lady Butler-Sloss was appointed to her new role after the Coroner of the Queen's Household, Michael Burgess, stepped down from the task in July. Diana, 36, and Mr Fayed, 42, were killed along with chauffeur Henri Paul when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris in 1997. They were pursued by paparazzi photographers after leaving the Ritz Hotel for Mr Fayed's apartment.

Iraq 'al-Qaeda militants' killed BBC News
The US military says it has killed 20 suspected al-Qaeda militants in a ground and air assault in central Iraq.The air strike was ordered after troops came under fire in the Thar Thar area, north of Baghdad, a statement said. Local officials said more than two dozen civilians had been killed in the strike, including women and children. Elsewhere, more than 1,000 Danish and UK troops stormed homes in Basra, in a raid the UK military described as the biggest of its kind in southern Iraq. The US military also confirmed that a US soldier died in a roadside bomb attack in Baghdad on Thursday.

Women killed
The US military said its operation, in the Thar Thar area of Salahuddin province, had been based on intelligence reports indicating people with links to al-Qaeda in Iraq were working in the area. Ground forces were searching a cluster of buildings when they were targeted with machine gun fire, the military said in a statement. The troops returned fire and killed two suspected insurgents, the military said, but continued to come under fire. The air strike was then ordered, in which another 18 suspected militants died. Among them were two women. On searching the site, US troops found a weapons cache containing "machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-personnel mines, explosives, blasting caps and suicide vests", the statement said. Amer Alwan, mayor of the Ishaqi district by Lake Thar Thar, told reporters that US aircraft had bombed two houses, killing 32 people, most of them women and children. Local police also confirmed the deaths of civilians but the number was uncertain.

'Rogue elements'
The joint British and Danish operation, launched before dawn, led to the arrest of five Iraqis in the Hartha district of the city of Basra.Major Charlie Burbridge, a British spokesman for the coalition forces, said the men detained "were strongly linked with various criminal activities: kidnapping, murder and attacks on multinational forces". He described them as "five leaders of rogue elements of militias operating in Basra". There were no coalition casualties and no evidence that civilians had been hurt, Maj Burbridge said. It is not yet clear whether any suspected militants were injured in the raids. Weapons were found in the properties, including artillery shells already wired up for use as roadside bombs, he added. A local spokesman for radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr's movement warned of reprisals following the raid, the AFP news agency reports. The UK has 7,200 troops in the south of Iraq, mostly stationed in and around Basra.

Fiji suspended from Commonwealth BBC News
The Commonwealth has suspended Fiji's membership in protest at this week's military coup, the fourth in 19 years.The decision followed a meeting of Commonwealth foreign ministers in London. The coup, which saw military chief Cmdr Bainimarama oust PM Laisenia Qarase, had already been condemned by the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It has also failed to win the backing of Fiji's influential Council of Chiefs and religious groups. The decision came after an emergency meeting of the Commonwealth's Ministerial Action Group. "Fiji's military regime should forthwith be suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth pending the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in that country," a statement from the group said. Cmdr Bainimarama seized power on Tuesday, after a long-standing dispute with the country's democratically-elected leaders. Mr Qarase has warned that public anger over the military takeover could force the new rulers to step down.

Malaria 'speeds spread of Aids' BBC News
There may be a link between malaria and the spread of the Aids virus across Africa, research by scientists working in Kenya suggests. The study, published in the journal Science, says the way the two diseases interact can help them spread faster. When people with Aids contract malaria, it causes a surge of HIV virus in their blood, making them more likely to infect a partner, the research says. Meanwhile people weakened by HIV are more likely to catch malaria. The diseases are two of the biggest killers in Africa.

Viral surge
Scientists studying the rapid spread of HIV-Aids in the city of Kisumu in Kenya found the spread of HIV was happening more quickly than they would expect just through risky sexual behaviour. They investigated a link with malaria, which is prevalent in the area. They believe that since malaria can multiply by 10 times the "viral-load" of HIV - the amount of HIV virus in an HIV-infected person's blood - the virus can be transmitted to a sexual partner more easily. "This biological co-factor induced by malaria has contributed considerably to the spread of HIV by increasing HIV transmission probability per sexual act," said Laith Abu-Raddad, co-author of the study, carried out by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington. "In turn, the weakening of the immune system by HIV infection has fuelled a rise in adult malaria-infection rates and may have facilitated the expansion of malaria in Africa," said another co-author, James Kublin of the Hutchinson Center. The scientists estimated that tens of thousands of HIV infections - perhaps 5% of the total - and millions of malaria cases - perhaps 10% of them - could be blamed on this co-infection. The scientists said their findings had important implications for public health efforts - underlining the need for the authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa to tackle the two diseases together. They also said it showed how other factors could influence the spread of HIV. Dr Kublin said genital herpes and tuberculosis were also suspected of increasing the likelihood of infection.

Ex-Iraq hostages forgive captors BBC News
Three peace campaigners who were taken hostage say they "unconditionally" forgive their Iraqi captors. Briton Norman Kember and Canadians James Loney and Harmeet Singh Sooden said they opposed the death penalty for the hostage-takers. The three added they had yet to decide whether to give evidence at the men's trial, which is set for next year. Christian peace activist Mr Kember was seized in Baghdad in November 2005 with three other men and held for 117 days.

'Great suffering'
In a joint statement at a press conference at St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation in London they said they wanted "all possible leniency" for the accused men. The men said: "We unconditionally forgive our captors for abducting and holding us. We have no desire to punish them. Punishment can never restore what was taken from us." They said their captors caused "great suffering" to them and their families, but they held no malice towards them and had "no wish for retribution". The "cycle of violence" in Iraq did not justify the kidnappers' actions, but should be considered in any potential judgment, they said. The men added: "The death penalty is an irrevocable judgment. It erases all possibility that those who have harmed others, even seriously, can yet turn to good. We oppose the death penalty."

Peace group
Mr Kember said the only way he would take part in a trial would be to plead for clemency. Police have approached the three men about appearing at the trial, which will take place at Iraq's Central Criminal Court. Mr Kember, 74, from Pinner, north-west London, was in Iraq as part of Canadian-based international peace group Christian Peacemaker Teams. A fourth captive, American Tom Fox, was found shot dead in Baghdad in March.

Seoul charges North Korea 'spies' BBC News
South Korean prosecutors have indicted five people on charges of spying for North Korea.Prosecutors say it is the biggest espionage case since the two neighbours began a process of reconciliation at a key summit in 2000. The five include an American of Korean origin, Jang Min-ho, who is accused of recruiting the others and passing information to North Korea. Pyongyang denounced the case as a "calculated plot" to smear North Korea.

Pro-Pyongyang image
Prosecutors in Seoul say Jang Min-ho set up the spy ring after visiting North Korea in 1989, and is alleged to have met North Korean agents at least seven times in China and Thailand. He and the other four are accused of passing on "national secrets" such as US troop movements in South Korea and the personal details of hundreds of politicians. "The suspects spied in an organised way after receiving instructions from North Korea," Ahn Chang-ho at Seoul's Central District Prosecutors' Office said. "This is the biggest spy case" since the 2000 rapprochement, he added. The five - who were arrested in October - include two members of the left-leaning minor opposition Democratic Labor Party (DLP). The DLP - already under fire for its pro-North Korea image - said the charges against its members were groundless. North and South Korea are still technically at war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace agreement. But South Korea has operated a so-called "sunshine policy" of engagement with its Communist neighbour since 2000. That policy has come under strain since North Korea tested a nuclear device in October, with calls for the South to be tougher on its neighbour.

Hezbollah leader urges defiance BBC News
The leader of Hezbollah has vowed to continue mass protests calling for Lebanon's Western-backed government, led by Fouad Siniora, to resign. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told supporters camped in central Beirut that Lebanon needed a new government, one free from foreign influence. Speaking via video link, he said Hezbollah was open to negotiations, and would not fight fellow Lebanese. The group, backed by Iran and Syria, withdrew from government last month. Thousands of Hezbollah followers have been protesting in central Beirut for a week, with sporadic clashes between government and anti-government supporters.

Accusations
Sheikh Nasrallah told the crowds to prepare for a mass demonstration on Sunday. And he was sharply critical of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who he accused of hampering Hezbollah's efforts during the 34-day conflict with Israel earlier this year. "Didn't the prime minister of Lebanon work to cut off the supply lines?" Sheikh Nasrallah asked the crowds. He also accused unnamed representatives of Mr Siniora's government of colluding with Israel to help defeat Hezbollah, hoping the group would be severely weakened or destroyed. "Those are the ones responsible for the war, not the resistance," Sheikh Nasrallah said. The speech was also broadcast live on local TV, rather than recorded in advance, as the Hezbollah leader has done since the summer.

No dialogue
The BBC's Kim Ghattas, in Beirut, says it was one of Hassan Nasrallah's toughest speeches against the government. Hezbollah withdrew its minister from the government last month - and other pro-Syrian members of the cabinet followed suit. The Hezbollah chief insisted he and his allies wanted a truly independent government that did not follow the agenda of foreign powers and he vowed the demonstrations would continue. But he ruled out a civil conflict, warning Lebanese Shia that there was no need to fight Sunnis or Christians within Lebanon. "At the mass protest on Sunday we will show that those who are betting on our surrender are having an illusion. "Our people do not give up, do not get tired. We will not go out of the streets before we achieve our objective to save Lebanon," he said. Mr Siniora insisted that the opposition, mainly Christian and Shia parties, would eventually need to talk with his government. "However long it takes, the Lebanese will have to sit down together," he said.

'Heavy fighting' in Somali town BBC News
Somali government fighters, backed up by Ethiopian troops, have attacked Islamist positions sparking heavy fighting, an Islamist leader says.The clashes have occurred in Dinsoor, 110 kilometres (70 miles) south-west of government base Baidoa. Islamist leader Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed called on all Somalis to "stand up and defeat the enemies". The fighting come two days after the UN approved plans to send peacekeepers to Somalia - which the Islamists reject. If the Ethiopian involvement is confirmed, it would be the first time that Islamist and Ethiopian troops have come into direct contact. BBC Africa analyst Martin Plaut says the clash could be the opening shots of the long-anticipated war for control of Somalia.

'Many deaths'
Deputy Defence Minister Salat Ali Jelle confirmed the fighting to the BBC but denied that Ethiopian troops were involved. The BBC's Mohammed Olad Hassan in the capital, Mogadishu, says local villagers report seeing Ethiopian troops. He says telecommunications to Dinsoor have been cut off. An Islamist commander in the area, Sheikh Mohamed Ibrahim Bilal, told the AFP news agency: "I don't have the exact toll, but I am told many people have died." Mr Ahmed said the attack had been repelled. "Our forces have been raided by Ethiopian troops, so people get up and fight against the Ethiopians," he said after Muslim Friday prayers in Mogadishu. Ethiopia has denied repeated claims that its troops are fighting alongside government militia but admits to having hundreds of military trainers in Baidoa, the only town the government controls. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross has appealed to both sides to spare civilians, affected by devastating floods. The ICRC says hundreds of thousands of people are on the move, trying to escape the flood waters. The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) has taken control of most of southern Somalia since taking Mogadishu in June.On Thursday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said African nations who will contribute to the proposed force should persuade the UIC that it would not be an "invasion force". "It is important that we get the Somalis to understand that the force is coming in to help," he said. The resolution proposes sending an African protection force to Baidoa and easing an international arms embargo on Somalia to help the government re-arm. The US-led resolution, adopted unanimously by the 15-nation Security Council, said the government represented "the only route to achieving peace and stability" in Somalia, which has been without effective central government since 1991. The Islamists have also accused Ethiopia of shelling the town of Bandiradley, 630 kilometres (390 miles) north-east of the capital, Mogadishu, which is the most northern town they control. One pro-government fighter was reportedly killed in the clashes.

'Front-line states'
Ethiopia and other states which border Somalia were excluded from contributing to the proposed African peace force. Ethiopia has twice fought wars with Somalia.Despite the exclusion of the "front-line states" the UIC still reject the idea of foreign peacekeepers, saying Islamic laws have already brought stability to areas they control. "Deploying foreign forces to Somalia is seen as invading forces and the Somali people are prepared to defend themselves against aggression," Union of Islamic Courts official Ibrahim Adow told the BBC's Network Africa programme on Thursday. However, observers believe it will be a long time before any peacekeepers arrive and say the UN resolution may be primarily intended to show symbolic support for the government. The East African body, Igad, which is supposed to supply the troops is understood to be split over the idea. Somalia's government has welcomed the resolution. The government and the UIC are due to hold peace talks in Sudan next week. The US, Ethiopia and the Somali government also fear the Islamists are offering shelter to al-Qaeda operatives, a charge they deny. A recent UN report accused several countries, including Ethiopia and Eritrea, of breaking the weapons ban.

Serb suspect ends hunger strike BBC News
The ultra-nationalist Serbian leader Vojislav Seselj has ended his hunger strike after nearly a month, the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague says. Mr Seselj began his protest on 11 November to press several demands, including the right to defend himself. The tribunal says his trial will be suspended until he is fit enough to attend as a self-represented accused. He is charged with the murder and expulsion of non-Serbs in former Yugoslavia in the wars of the 1990s. He is accused of having formed a joint criminal enterprise with the late Serbian President, Slobodan Milosevic, to create an ethnically pure Greater Serbia. Mr Seselj denies the charges. The trial judges had appointed counsel to represent him, but his appeal against their decision was upheld by the court's appeal chamber this week. Mr Seselj had refused to be seen by doctors representing the tribunal, but the court stepped in on Wednesday. A doctor who examined him said he could die within two weeks if he persisted with his protest. "Vojislav Seselj has informed the tribunal that he will resume taking foodstuffs and receive medical attention," the court said in a statement on Friday. "The trial of Seselj is suspended until such time as he is fit enough to fully participate in the proceeding as a self-represented accused," the court added.

Ebola 'kills over 5,000 gorillas' BBC News
More than 5,000 gorillas may have died in recent outbreaks of the Ebola virus in central Africa, a study says.Scientists warn that, coupled with the commercial hunting of gorillas, it may be enough to push them to extinction. The study, published in the US journal Science, looked at gorilla colonies in Republic of Congo and Gabon. Ebola is also blamed for many chimpanzee deaths. One of the most virulent viruses known, Ebola has killed more than 1,000 people since it was first recorded in 1976. Ebola causes viral haemorrhagic fever - massive internal and external bleeding - which can kill up to 90% of those infected. Scientists are still working on a vaccine and there is no known cure.

Ape-to-ape transmission
The latest study, carried out by an internatio